Office of the Contractor-General

Through its two (2) Inspectorates, which comprised an average of nine (9) inspectors in 2006, and its Technical Services, Information Systems and Finance and Administration Departments, the OC-G achieved several key performance milestones in calendar year 2006 whilst operating within pre-existing human resource and budgetary* resource allocations.

The OCG’s attainments were driven primarily by its newly declared strategic and operating objectives of (a) transforming itself into a ‘best in class’ organization, (b) preventing corruption in Government procurement, (c) ensuring compliance with the Government’s procurement procedures and guidelines and (d) significantly enhancing transparency and probity in the public sector contract award process. Among the key attainments were the following:

Developed and implemented its Quarterly Contracts Award (QCA) Reporting initiative. This initiative has significantly enhanced the capacity of the OCG to monitor the procurement and contract award activities of the country’s ~180 Procuring Public Bodies.

The OCG’s QCA Reporting Regime has now positioned the OCG to directly monitor and/or investigate over 10,000 Government contract awards annually in a value range of $250,000 to infinity. By comparison, the OCG monitored only 322 contracts in 2005.

Conducted and completed 15 special statutory investigations. Eight (8) of these investigations were the subject of special reports which were submitted to Parliament during the calendar year. In the preceding three (3) year period, only two (2) special investigations were completed by the OCG.

Made formal representations to Government for the restructuring of the OCG to (a) strengthen its human and budgetary resources and (b) restructure its organization to enable it to more effectively and efficiently discharge its several mandates under the Contractor General Act.

The organizational structure of the OCG was last revised by Parliament and its constituent staffing positions reviewed and reclassified, in May 1999. Currently, the OCG is critically understaffed and is strapped with a less than acceptable deficit of resources and budgetary support.

The efforts of the OCG to have the situation addressed ultimately culminated in an agreement which was struck between the OCG and the Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU) of the Office of the Cabinet to undertake a joint restructuring assessment of the organization, operations and resources of the OCG.

The assessment, which was formally commenced on May 9, 2006, was completed in mid-July 2006. The final and agreed OCG restructuring proposals, which include a significant increase in the OCG’s annual budget and the expansion of its present head count from approx. 46 to 64, have been formally approved for implementation in the latter part of the 2007/2008 Government financial year.

Prepared and submitted its 380 page 2005 annual operating report to Parliament in July 2006. This was the first occasion, since the submission of the OCG’s 1998 annual report in July 1999 that an annual report of the OCG was being presented to Parliament within 12 months of the ending of the year to which it related.

Significantly revamped its website with the dual objectives of enhancing transparency in the Jamaican public sector procurement process and ensuring that relevant information, regarding the activities, functions and requirements of the OCG and the National Contracts Commission (NCC) is readily made available to all key stakeholders.

Monitored scores of tenders and the procurement processes of Public Bodies, both on a routine and general basis as well as in greater depth as the need arose.

Conducted 782 physical contractor site verification visits vs. 526 in 2005.

Completed 898 contract monitoring and inspection site trips, travelling 167,896 (Inspector) km.

Attended, facilitated and fully supported 45 weekly meetings of the NCC.

Monitored 155 NCC Sector Committee meetings.

Provided all requisite technical, administrative and secretarial support resources for the NCC to comprehensively evaluate, scrutinize and endorse 575 Government contract award recommendations of $4 million in value and over, vs. 401 endorsements in 2005. The aggregated value of these 575 contracts exceeded J$25 billion.

Processed applications for 1,052 goods and services contractors and 468 works contractors, vs. 385 and 521 contractors, respectively, in 2005.

Conducted 25 off-site (public sector procurement procedures) educational workshops for over 35 Public Bodies. This compares to 17 workshops which were conducted by the OCG in 2005.

Commenced a systematic and comprehensive review and overhaul of the OCG’s administrative, office management and accounting procedures to assure higher levels of operating effectiveness, efficiency and compliance.

Developed and implemented more robust auditing and procurement management systems to strengthen, inter alia, those of the OCG’s accountability mechanisms which are directed at the OCG’s management and expenditure of Government funds.

Implemented a comprehensive suite of safety, security and emergency procedures and initiatives which are aimed at protecting life and property at the OCG.

Commenced the development and implementation of a number of programmes, procedures and mechanisms which are directed at improving staff welfare at the OCG as well as the OCG’s overall staff performance, all in an effort to ensure that the OCG attains its strategic and operating objectives.

*The OCG’s capital and operating budget for the 2006/2007 financial year was J$85.7 million vs. J$88.5 million for the preceding financial year. An additional ~$13 million was allocated to the OCG in March 2007 via the Government’s Supplementary Estimates.