Staff Writer
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) has announced that it has 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, the CPBN said.
Of the total applications received, 235 (56%) were submitted by female applicants, while 187 (44%) were submitted by male applicants, reflecting encouraging gender representation among prospective Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) members.
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.
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.
The composition of the BEC is drawn from suitably qualified members from the general public who are independent of the institution.
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.
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.
Only candidates who successfully complete both the training and assessment will be enlisted on the CPBN Bid Evaluation Committee database and may thereafter be considered for appointment to future Bid Evaluation Committees as the need arises.
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.
