Ensuring transparency: Delhi AIIMS to create procurement digital library

New Delhi: In a bid to promote transparency and streamline the procurement process, the premier health institution, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has decided to create a procurement digital library (PDL) on which all supply and work orders will be made public from April 1 next year.

The Procurement Digital Library - a repository of all the supply and work orders -- will ensure transparency and reduce the burden of RTI's related to procurement at the institute, according to an office memorandum issued on December 9.

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"The data on this PDL shall also be helpful to other government institutions for benchmarking their engineering and stores procurement against AllMS procurement trends, prices and specifications," the OM issued by AIIMS Director Dr M Srinivas said.

All supply and work orders shall be mandatorily uploaded on the PDL as soon as the order is issued to the vendors, it said.

The reference to the last purchase price and consumption pattern for similar items available on the stores digital library shall be placed on record in the e-file while seeking financial concurrence and approval of the competent authority, it said.

According to the OM, information in the library will be analyzed on a quarterly basis by the internal audit team of the finance division along with user representatives to ensure continuous vigilance.

A copy of the analysis shall be hosted on the PDL and shall also be shared with Director, Additional Director (Admin), Chiefs of all Centres Head NCI, Medical Superintendent and O/Ic Procurement, it added.

The list and specifications of items proposed for centralized procurement shall be finalized before March 31, 2023, by the respective committees constituted for the purpose. The list and specifications shall be reviewed on an annual basis by the committees, the OM read.

Centralized Procurement Unit (CPU) shall be operationalized by March 31, 2023, at a designated space, it said.

The CPU shall be planned like a model procurement unit with access-controlled entry and exit, CCTV cameras for monitoring of all areas, meeting rooms with audio video recording facilities, etc, it said.

Vendor and staff zones shall be strictly segregated and unauthorized access shall not be allowed in the area, the OM stated.

All staff (regular or outsourced) posted in any capacity in-store sections of all departments, blocks, hospitals and centres shall be mandatorily rotated every three years. Any existing staff who have completed three years shall be rotated with immediate effect, it added.

To increase transparency, only e-file, e-receipt or e-mail shall be used for all procurement and stores related works, including for all communication to and from users, vendors, etc. No paper trail with effect from January 1, 2023, shall be accepted as a valid mode of official communication, the office memorandum added.

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