– in wake of more contract splittingThe forensic audit report into the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation (CJIAC) hasCJIA CEO Ramesh Ghirrecommended that management review a number of things, including the current system of the commercial and administration managers being the evaluators of tenders, due to lack of transparency.The audit was done by Goorwantie Kaladeen, an accredited member of International Institute of Certified Forensic Investigation Professionals (IICFIP). It highlighted several cases whereby evaluators recommended that contracts be extended and this was done, but contract splitting resulted.Intimating that CJIA administrators are either unfamiliar with the Procurement Act of 2003 or may be ignoring it, the auditor noted that at least two contracts were awarded by Cabinet in 2009 and 2010 for one year only. Yet they were still in force by 2015. This, the auditor discovered, was because several extensions were granted without going back to tender.“Contracts that were awarded by National Procurement and Tender Administration (NPTA) in 2009, expired in 2010, (but) were extended for periods of? two, three,? four, five,Cheap Soccer Jerseys, six and seven months during? the period June 2010 to June 2014,” the audit highlighted.Instead of going back to tender, these extensions were approved by the CJIAC Tender Board based on reports of the contractors’ work performance that were evaluated by members of the Corporation’s Tender Committee.This Tender Committee comprises the Chairman and two members of the Board – the Chief Executive Officer and the Commercial and Administrative Manager – the Accountant, four engineers and a Senior Maintenance Foreman.The auditor noted that the tender board placed much reliance on what the evaluators recommended. In fact, however, the auditor found that even those extended contracts had cases of contract splitting, which is against procurement regulations.“Reference is made to one specific contract for Cevons Waste Management, which was split in three parts to avoid the values reaching the limits for the public tender process.”She noted that the contract was split into parts, with one section spanning June 2012 to November 2012 and costing $2.6M, December 2012 to April 2013 and costing $2.2M and May 2013 to December 2013 and costing $3.5M yearly.“The average per month was $444,570, while the total sum for one year was $5.3M,” the auditor pointed out. “This sum would have attracted the tender process of the National Procurement and Tender Administration. The CJIAC Tender Board limit for goods and services is above $4M.”In addition, the report highlighted that the position of Procurement Officer has never been filled in the corporation, and in fact,NHL Jerseys Authentic, the CJIAC’s current organization structure does not cater for it.Management, in defence of this situation, had revealed that an accounts clerk actually carries out the function of procurement. They stated that the drivers and porters assist in uplifting items and delivering quotations from suppliers, since they frequent Georgetown on a daily basis.In her response, however, the auditor made it clear that the airport’s magnitude of activities made it necessary for there to be a designated procurement officer. The report stressed that there is a difference between a procurement officer and a purchasing clerk.“A Procurement Officer processes purchasing transactions for equipment, materials, supplies, capital goods, and services,” the auditor stated.Seeking to demonstrate the duties of a procurement officer as opposed to the limited scope of a purchasing clerk, the auditor noted that those duties include inviting, assessing, recommending supplier tenders, bids, quotations, and proposals.In addition,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, a procurement officer has to establish and negotiate contract terms and conditions, and maintain supplier relationships. They also prepare and maintain purchasing records, reports and price lists.“(A procurement officer must) work with internal and external stakeholders to determine procurement needs, quality, and delivery requirements,” the auditor stated. “(And) assist in the development of specifications for equipment,Cheap Stitched Jerseys, materials, and services to be purchased.”She also noted that a procurement officer must oversee contract performance,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, including delivery, receipt, warranty, damages and insurance. Such officer must also ensure compliance with and be knowledgeable of, applicable rules, legislation, regulations, standards,Cheap Authentic Jerseys, and best practices.In contrast, the auditor pointed ou