Derestricted
FTAA.nggp/inf/50
August 12, 2003
Original: Spanish
Translation: FTAA Secretariat
FTAA – NEGOTIATING GROUP ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT
CARICOM
SUBMISSION TO THE HEMISPHERIC
COOPERATION PROGRAM
THROUGH THE
FTAA – NEGOTIATING GROUP ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT:
REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND ASSISTANCE IN THE PREPARATION
OF A MARKET ACCESS OFFER IN GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT
Introduction
CARICOM requests technical assistance in the preparation of its market access
offer in Government Procurement.
- Background
CARICOM States have never been party to regional and/or international government
procurement agreements. The discipline is new to the region and, as such, there
is no expertise upon which to draw to prepare the relevant offer. Additionally,
due to critical resource constraints, CARICOM has been unable to gather and
assimilate region-wide procurement statistics to form critical supporting data
and inform the preparation efforts. We understand that in some States, this data
is neither stored nor recorded, in others it is recorded but not stored for any
significant periods of time, and still in others only partial data is available,
i.e., data relative to central government entities only. Further, there is need
to identify the “sensitive” sectors in each of our economies and to take these
into account in developing offers.
- Justification
In light of the background information presented, CARICOM needs assistance in
identifying the relevant input data, gathering this data throughout the region
and preparing an offer based upon the information gleaned from the data
gathered. This will likely require consultations with both private sector and
public sector entities throughout the region, which our limited resources cannot
facilitate. Further, having gathered the relevant data, and conducted the
necessary analyses, due to the lack of experience in this area, CARICOM would
also need assistance in formulating the offer, i.e., presentation, style, etc.
- Objectives of the Project
-
The primary output is the development and preparation of a market access offer
in Government Procurement.
-
Other outputs would include the necessary preparatory work (i.e., data
gathering, consultations, analyses, and required approvals.
- Inputs1
At present, while the basic information may be available throughout the region,
it is not gathered, compiled and analysed. As such, each CARICOM State will need
to provide procurement statistics, specifically for the years 1998-2000, and
other information relevant to its sensitive sectors, national developmental
policies, etc. Unfortunately, information on the region as a whole is not
currently available.
- Expected Results
It is expected that the project output will be a CARICOM market access offer in
government procurement that is representative of CARICOM’s special treatment
needs due to small size and level of development, takes into account the various
national developmental policies, and the concerns and considerations of regional
suppliers. The FTAA TNC afforded CARICOM an extended deadline of July 2003 for
submission of its offer, with the stipulation that no delegation will be made
privy to other offers without first submitting its own offer. As a result,
CARICOM would want to submit its market access offer as close to the general
deadline of December 15, 2002 as possible in order to be able to participate
meaningfully in the discussions of offers and requests for improved offers
processes.
- Other Relevant Information
We would expect that any technical assistance provided in this regard would be
coordinated with the full knowledge and/or participation of the CARICOM Lead and
Alternate Negotiators for Government Procurement, who may be able to offer
relevant advice, and that they would be kept fully abreast of processes,
findings and conclusions.
Note: In the event that two or more project profiles are proposed, please
present in order of priority.
1 If information is available.
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