ICT Association wants share of government business
ICT Association of Malawi (Ictam) has asked government to provide the sector with government business for them to meaningfully contribute to the country’s development agenda.
The call follows the gazetteing of the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Order to enable SMEs find business opportunities with government.
In an interview last week, Ictam president Bram Fudzulani observed that procurement processes are still handled with a perception that local businesses do not have capacity.
He said: “We have noted that if a company is coming from outside then they are deemed to have capacity.
“What we are, therefore, advocating for is that local companies should also be considered and build our capacity.”
The Ministry of Trade and Industry gazetted the SME Order in December 2020 to address challenges faced by SMEs in conducting business with ministries and government departments, including competition from big businesses.
In an interview on Monday, Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) public relations officer Grace Thipa said local businesses operating in this sector are eligible to enjoy 15 percent preference margin on all procurements where the order is applicable. She said to enjoy the preference, businesses must be registered with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and also comply with all other legal provisions governing the conduct of suppliers to the government.
