G/Procurement: Is the Chief Accountant and/or his staff prohibited from becoming BAC’s TWG?

Query:

Pls. dont mention my name. Pwede po bang maging member ng twg [technical working group] yung accountant and accounting staff a regular member of twg for example in infra at sa supplies po thank you po.

Response:

COA prohibits the Chief Accountant from becoming a regular member of the Bids and Awards Committee.

However, there’s no express prohibitions under existing rules the Chief Accountant or his staff are prohibited from becoming members of the Technical Working Group created by the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).

COA Circular Letter No. 2003-4 dated July 30, 2003 provides that:

Pursuant to the authority vested in this Commission to promulgate accounting and auditing rules and regulations including those for the strengthening of internal control in the operations of the government, it is hereby directed that the Chief Accountant and the personnel of the Accounting Unit of any agency of government are prohibited from being regular members of the agency’s Bids and Awards Committee as contemplated under the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9184. However, they may serve as provisional members when the Unit is the end- user of the items, subject of the bidding. (Emphasis supplied)

In LGUs, the same prohibitions apply. The Chief Accountant or Head of the Provincial/City/Municipal Accounting Office and his/her staff is prohibited from becoming a member of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), unless the Accounting Department is the end-user unit, in which case the Chief Accountant, Head of the Accounting Department or his/her staff may be designated as an end-user member.

Related: Seven Things Every Accountable Officer Must Remember to Avoid Being Sued Later On

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