CESA has partnered with National Treasury to host a series of nationwide seminars to enhance and improve Public Sector procurement in the construction sector. The new procurement system has been designed to deliver value for money, while minimizing the scope for corruption.

CESA and National Treasury signed a Memorandum of Understanding in November, last year in which CESA agreed to support National Treasury with the capacitation of Public Sector officials and Private Sector built environment practitioners, in the effective implementation of this new procurement standard.

The purpose of the seminars is to introduce and explain the recent watershed publication of the National Treasury Standard for Infrastructure Procurement and Delivery Management (SIPDM) which enables the supply chain management system for infrastructure to be separated from that of general goods and services. This standard is required to be implemented by all organs of state which are subject to the PFMA with effect from 1 July 2016, and those subject to the MFMA by 1 July 2017.

The seminars being held over two days, enable participants to gain insight  and an in-depth understanding of the practical implementation of the SIPDM. Seminar participants are provided with templates, proforma documents, a guidance document, comprehensive workshop notes and are invited to undertake a multiple choice online examination at a later date to verify their understanding of the SIPDM.

Seminars have been held in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, with upcoming seminars scheduled for East London, Port Elizabeth, Kimberley and Bloemfontein in the coming months.