In anticipation of the pilot implementation of the eMarketplace, an online shopping platform for the public sector soon to be launched by the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), the Procurement Service - Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) tapped some of the the country’s prime courier companies for an exploratory meeting in January 2024.
In attendance were PS-DBM’s Executive Committee led by Executive Director (ED) Atty. Dennis Santiago, and key account managers from Flash Express, LBC Express, and JRS Express.
Following a walkthrough of the eMarketplace moderated by PhilGEPS Director Maria Teresita Semana, an open forum was held which provided insights into the agency’s logistical needs and challenges, especially in terms of delivering Common-use Supplies and Equipment (CSE) from suppliers to client-agencies.
The courier companies, for their part, discussed their respective business models and best practices. The bottlenecks in related processes were also identified.
ED Santiago, in his message, emphasized the need for collaboration with prospective logistical partners to improve and simplify PS-DBM’s supply chain management and operations, ultimately geared towards ensuring ease of doing business with the agency.
“Ka-partner po namin kayo… We will open the opportunity… Iyon lang po ang pakiusap namin, let us be partners,” ED Santiago said.
PS-DBM likewise believes that optimizing its delivery schemes — both for small and large quantities, and across its nationwide pool of regional client-agencies — heavily relies on its intricate network of transportation and logistics.
In this age of digital transformation, PS-DBM is steadfast in streamlining the procurement procedures as part of its initiatives to reform the agency. Anchored on its 12-point agenda, along with the on-going efforts to amend the procurement law, modernizing the PhilGEPS through the eMarketplace is a testament to PS-DBM’s thrust of achieving a world class, transparent, and highly efficient procurement process.