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  1. MAPS Initiative
  2. Assessments
  3. Country cases
  4. Rwanda

Quick facts

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Countries: Rwanda
Year of assessment: 2020
Procurement value: approx US$ 806 million (2018)

Principal organisation: World Bank (WB)

Main partners:

Rwanda Public Procurement Authority (RPPA), African Development Bank (AfDB), UK Department for International Development (DFID)

Background

Rwanda, once among the world's poorest nations, has undergone a remarkable transformation led by visionary leadership and strategic institutions. In the mid-1990s, the country's GDP was minuscule, but the government's robust nation-building efforts set the stage for a dramatic recovery. As of 2017, Rwanda's GDP stood at USD 9.1 billion, showcasing substantial progress.

Aligned with ambitious national visions such as Vision 2020 and Vision 2050, Rwanda aims to achieve upper-middle-income and high-income status by 2035 and 2050, respectively. The six pillars identified in Vision 2020, including good governance, human resource development, and private sector-led economy, are crucially linked to the public procurement system.

Rwanda has been a pioneer in leveraging its procurement system for economic development. It became the first African country to request consideration as a pilot under the World Bank's Use of Country Procurement Systems Piloting Program in 2008.

Rwanda's success in combating corruption and fostering gender equality is acknowledged globally. However, challenges persist, such as limited private sector involvement into public procurement and the need for more extensive reforms in public financial management, and procurement to realize the country's aspirations for effective service delivery and tangible results.

Process

 
  • Conducted between February 2019 and May 2020, the assessment of Rwanda was carried out by the World Bank and the Rwanda Public Procurement Authority (RPPA), as well as partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
  • The assessment team relied on desk reviews of published documents, laws and regulations, three missions to Kigali, and discussions with stakeholders, including with control and oversight bodies, review of 81 sample contracts from 15 Procuring Entities (PEs), a private sector survey on perception of public procurement, discussion with representatives from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), intensive support and input from the RPPA, and guidance from the Steering Committee.
  • The stakeholders engaged in the MAPS assessment of Rwanda represent a comprehensive spectrum of entities involved in various aspects of public procurement in Rwanda. These stakeholders include government agencies, regulatory bodies, oversight institutions, educational institutions, professional associations, private sector representatives, civil society organisations, and media outlets. This diverse group of stakeholders reflects a commitment to inclusive governance and reform in the procurement process.

 

Key results and impacts

Some key findings of the assessment were:

 

  • Legal Framework:
    • The legal framework for public procurement in Rwanda is well-structured and comprehensive, comprising primary legislation, secondary legislation, guidelines, manuals, and standard documents.
    • The legal fundamental principles include efficiency, fairness, and transparency, forming the foundation for procurement governance.
  • E-Procurement System:
    • The introduction of the e-procurement system (UMUCYO) is expected to enhance transparency, increase cost-effectiveness, and improve procurement efficiency.
    • The system, in theory, should reduce administrative burdens and provide a platform for maintaining or elevating transparency levels.
    • The e-procurement system is operational until the contract award stage and includes an e-GP appeal module for reviewing complaints and asset disposal. The current plan is to develop the system up to contract closure and payment through introduction of e-contract and e-invoice modules.
  • Professionalisation:
    • The existence of a law on the 'Association of procurement professionals' supports a strong sense of public procurement as a distinct discipline
    • Procuring entities are required to appoint a procurement officer and an internal tender committee responsible for organizing the procurement process from planning to contract completion.
  • Contract management:
    • Contracts management is identified as a relatively weak aspect based on the assessment, but there are positive instances such as on-time execution, quality controls, and adherence to payment timelines in specific contracts.

 

The main recommendations of the assessment were:

  • The government plans to update regulations, bidding documents, and the guidance manual for procurement processes.
  • To bolster the effectiveness of the RPPA, there's a proposal to enhance budget allocation to the authority.
  • One key reform is to remove the conflicting role of the RPPA in procurement decisions such as awarding non-objections on the use of less competitive methods.
  • Efforts are underway to enhance the professionalization of the procurement function through specialized training and certification.
  • A critical focus area is to improve contract management practices to ensure the efficient execution of agreements.
  • To promote transparency and inclusivity, there's a commitment to improving dialogue and partnership with the private sector and civil society organizations (CSOs).