STAFF WRITER
About 422 applications have expressed interest in joining the bid evaluation committee of the Central Procurement Board of Namibia.
Spokesperson of the CPBN Johana Kambala said they received an overwhelming response from members of the public following its recent call for expressions of interest to be enlisted on the CPBN database for possible appointment as Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) members.
“A total of 422 applications were received from suitably qualified individuals across the country, reflecting an exceptional level of public interest in supporting transparent, fair, and accountable public procurement processes. This overwhelming response demonstrates growing public confidence in the integrity of Namibia’s public procurement system and underscores the willingness of qualified professionals to contribute their expertise towards strengthening transparency, accountability, and good governance in public procurement,” Kambala said.
The applications were dominated by 235 (56%) female applicants, while 187 (44%) were submitted by male applicants.
CPBN said this reflected encouraging gender representation among prospective Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) members.
Kambala said the strong public response follows the introduction of reforms by the CPBN earlier this year to strengthen the procedures governing the appointment of Bid Evaluation Committee members.
She said the reforms form part of the Board’s broader commitment to improving service delivery and reinforcing transparency, accountability, and integrity throughout the public procurement process.
“In terms of Section 9(1)(i) of the Public Procurement Act, 2015 (Act No. 15 of 2015), as amended, the Board is empowered to appoint persons to serve as members of Bid Evaluation Committees,including representatives nominated by the relevant public entities. Furthermore, Section 26(1)(a) of the Act provides for the establishment of ad hoc Bid Evaluation Committees. The composition of the
BEC is drawn from suitably qualified members from the general public who are independent of the institution,” she said.
The primary responsibility of Bid Evaluation Committees is to evaluate bids facilitated by the CPBN in accordance with the requirements of the Public Procurement Act and applicable procurement procedures, and to submit evaluation reports and recommendations to the Board for consideration and adjudication.
CPBN said the verification and assessment of all applications are currently underway. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in a mandatory five-day structured training programme, followed by a competency assessment.
“Successful applicants are expected to be notified towards the end of August 2026, after which they will be required to attend the compulsory training programme. The training will be delivered in collaboration with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and forms an integral part of the qualification process for enlistment on the CPBN Bid Evaluation Committee database,” she said.
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