PPAA pushes online appeals to boost transparency in public tenders
PPAA Head of Public Relations and Communications Nelson Kessy (center) Speaking on the sidelines of the 10th Public Procurement Conference in Arusha. PHOTO I COURTESY
Josephine Christopher is a senior business journalist for The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers
Mwananchi Communications Limitted
Dar es Salaam. Businesses bidding for government contracts have been urged to use Tanzania’s digital procurement complaints and appeals platform, with authorities saying the system is reducing costs, improving transparency and speeding up the resolution of procurement disputes.
The Public Procurement Appeals Authority (PPAA) said the Complaints and Appeals Module, integrated into the National e-Procurement System (NeST), is designed to make it easier for local and international bidders to challenge procurement decisions they consider unfair.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the 10th Public Procurement Conference 2026 currently underway in Arusha, on behalf of the PPAA Executive Secretary, Mr James Sando, the Head of the Public Relations and Communications Unit at PPAA, Mr Nelson Kessy, said that the introduction of the Module offers numerous benefits, including saving both time and costs for users.
“Other benefits of using the Module by bidders and procuring entities include enhancing transparency and accountability, facilitating proper record-keeping of complaints and appeals submitted by bidders, and improving efficiency in the delivery of decisions,” said Mr Kessy.
Mr Kessy further stated that the Appeals Authority directs all domestic and international bidders to use the Complaints and Appeals Module to submit their complaints and appeals in accordance with the Public Procurement Act and its Regulations whenever they believe they have not been treated fairly during the procurement processes in which they participated.
Mr Kessy said that PPAA provides Video Conference services, which enable the Authority to hear cases involving bidders who are unable to appear physically at PPAA offices for the hearing of appeals and other matters they have lodged before the Authority.
The Video Conference service has enabled PPAA to hear cases involving bidders who are unable to appear physically before the Authority due to various reasons, while allowing the Appeals Authority to effectively discharge its core mandate of resolving disputes arising from public procurement processes.
“Since the introduction of the Video Conference service, PPAA has already heard cases involving bidders from South Africa, Nigeria, Poland, India, and China,” said Mr Kessy.
Furthermore, the Appeals Authority plans to integrate the Complaints and Appeals Module with the Judiciary of Tanzania's system to facilitate timely access to justice and improve service delivery efficiency. This initiative forms part of the Authority's broader efforts to strengthen the use of technology in the public procurement sector.
Meanwhile, Mr Peter Sarungi, a bidder representing the special groups category, emphasized that greater priority should be given to special groups in the tendering process.
He also called for procuring entities to provide timely feedback to bidders on the outcome of their tender applications, whether successful or unsuccessful, to enable them to improve their economic well-being, including through the use of the PPAA Complaints and Appeals Module.
The official use of the Complaints and Appeals Module in the National e-Procurement System (NeST) commenced in February 2025.
