Senegal

Inconsistent Criteria for Open International Tendering (AOI)

• Issue: The legal framework lacks clear, objective criteria for determining when to apply Open International Tendering (AOI), leading to inconsistent application.
• Recommendations:
  • Define objective conditions for AOI use based on market analysis at sectoral and national levels to ensure fair competition and reasonable pricing.

Lack of a National Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) Strategy

• Issue: Senegal does not have a structured national framework for integrating sustainability considerations (economic, environmental, and social) into public procurement.
• Recommendations:
  • Develop a conceptual and regulatory framework for sustainable public procurement. 
  • Establish a National Sustainable Public Procurement Plan (PNAPD), including buyer guides, monitoring tools, and capacity-building programs.

Weak Integration of Procurement Planning with Budget Cycles

• Issue: Public procurement planning is not fully integrated into the broader budget planning and execution processes, leading to inefficiencies in fund allocation.
• Recommendations:
  • Make it mandatory for contracting authorities to submit procurement plans when requesting budget allocations.

Limited Performance Monitoring of the Procurement System

• Issue: There is no structured system for regularly auditing and assessing procurement performance.
• Recommendations:
  • Conduct periodic performance audits of the procurement system to identify areas for improvement.

Lack of a Formalized Procurement Profession and Accreditation System (MAPS PROF)

• Issue: Procurement is not recognized as a distinct professional career, and there is no independent body regulating procurement professionals.
• Recommendations:
  • Establish an Order of Public Procurement Experts to oversee professional accreditation.
  • Develop structured career paths and certification requirements for procurement officials.

Weak Market Engagement and Private Sector Participation

• Issue: Limited engagement between the government and suppliers has resulted in procurement procedures that do not align with market realities, discouraging supplier participation.
• Recommendations:
  • Strengthen market analysis and dialogue with private sector stakeholders to ensure procurement plans align with supplier capacity.

Insufficient Training for Procurement Officials and Contracting Authorities (MAPS PROF)

• Issue: Many procurement officials lack specialized training, and procurement education is not systematically included in public administration training programs.
• Recommendations:
  • Expand procurement training programs, including certified courses and university partnerships.
  • Ensure that contracting authorities allocate sufficient budget resources for procurement training.

Lack of Protection for Whistleblowers in Public Procurement

• Issue: Senegal lacks a legal framework to protect whistleblowers who report corruption or misconduct in public procurement.
• Recommendations:
  • Introduce legal protections for whistleblowers, ensuring anonymity and safeguarding against retaliation.

Limited Transparency in the Declaration of Assets by Public Officials

• Issue: Not all officials required to declare their assets have done so, and there are no consequences for non-compliance.
• Recommendations:
  • Enforce asset declaration requirements and implement sanctions for non-compliance.

Weak Ethics Oversight in Public Procurement (MAPS PROF)

• Issue: There is no structured mechanism to track and enforce ethical behavior among procurement professionals.
• Recommendations:
  • Implement a monitoring system to track and investigate ethical violations in procurement.
  • Strengthen ethics training for procurement officials to prevent fraud and corruption.