ISLAMABAD: Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) on Wednesday clarified media reports regarding the newly notified Public Procurement Rules, 2026, saying the reports had created a misleading impression about the purpose and provisions of the new rules.
The PPRA said the rules were revised under a comprehensive procurement reform roadmap launched in 2024 as part of the government’s economic governance reforms and were aimed at transforming Pakistan’s procurement system in line with international standards of transparency, accountability and efficiency.
It said the new rules introduced several safeguards, including mandatory use of the e-Pak Acquisition and Disposal System (EPADS) for all federal procurements, dedicated procurement cells, third-party oversight for large procurements and stronger enforcement measures, including blacklisting, cross-debarment and declaration of misprocurement with disciplinary consequences, said in a press release issued here.
The authority said independent grievance redressal committees, with appellate review, had also been introduced to ensure fairness and accountability.
Clarifying the procurement process, the PPRA said Open Competitive Bidding (OCB) was the principal method under the new rules. Under Rule 15(4), procuring agencies are required to provide written justification whenever a method other than OCB is used.
Regarding direct contracting with state-owned entities (SOEs), the PPRA said Rule 32(1)(f) allowed it only in exceptional circumstances and did not create any preference for SOEs.
The provision could only be used for time-sensitive, scattered or remotely located works and services in the public interest, subject to prescribed conditions, it added.
The PPRA said EPADS use was mandatory for all types of procurement, including direct contracting. Where more than one organization was eligible, competition through limited tendering would be required along with ensuring price reasonableness.
It said the head of the procuring agency would also have to submit an undertaking on EPADS confirming compliance with the prescribed conditions.
The authority further said the rules strengthened transparency and disclosure requirements through mandatory publication of annual procurement plans and evaluation results on EPADS and relevant procuring agencies’ websites.
Under Rule 57, procurement documents relating to evaluation and contract award are to be publicly disclosed through EPADS after the award of a contract, while Rule 56 requires complete procurement records to be retained.
The PPRA said these measures established a framework for transparency, public disclosure, traceability and record retention throughout the procurement process.
