A contentious legislative bill aimed at altering public procurement procedures in Uzbekistan faced sharp criticism during a plenary session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis. Lawmakers strongly contested provisions that would allow procurement procedures to be deemed valid even when only a single supplier participates, warning of severe corruption risks, restricted competition, and flawed wording.

The proposed amendments stipulated that if a repeat tender features the exact same sole supplier that applied initially, the procurement could be finalized successfully provided the original evaluation criteria remain unchanged. Similar rules were planned for electronic auctions aimed at lowering starting prices with just one bidder. Proponents argued this would accelerate bureaucratic processes and cut administrative costs.

Nevertheless, members of parliament voiced deep skepticism regarding these mechanisms. Critics argued that preserving initial criteria for repeat procedures effectively favors predetermined firms and creates loopholes for collusion. Legislative Speaker Nuriddin Ismailov specifically pointed out ambiguous legal phrasing, noting that allowing agencies discretion on whether to validate single-bidder tenders could lead to subjective abuse and subsequent litigation.

Following extensive debates, committee representatives conceded that the objections touched upon core conceptual flaws rather than minor technical issues. Consequently, the chamber voted to reject the bill in its second reading and sent it back for substantial revision. Analysts continue to point out that a significant portion of public procurement in the country still relies on non-competitive practices.

Source: www.gazeta.uz