ISLAMABAD, Oct 11: The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) for the implementation of the integrity pact and transparency in its procurement system.

Chairman, Central Board of Revenue, M. Abdullah Yusuf and Vice Chairman/Chief Executing Officer, TIP Syed Adil Gilani signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organizations. Member Tax Policy and Reforms Khuwaja Tanveer Ahmad and Member Administration Iftikhar Ahmad signed the document as witnesses.

According to the MoU, the CBR would establish an accountability mechanism in all its dealings and try to provide all the necessary checks and balances in its effort towards a transparent procurement system.

A coordination committee of the CBR and TIP members would be formed to implement the integrity pact and transparency in its procurement system.

This committee would comprise three members from the CBR with responsibilities related to Law, Finance and Technical (Procurement & Contracts) Departments and two representatives of TIP. The TIP vice-chairman would act as its chairman.

It would identify and list all issues of transparency and evaluation of tenders criteria in the procurement bidding documents, including the discretionary conditions existing in the contract documents and make the necessary changes where necessary.

The committee would prepare ways and means to be included in contract documents to eliminate/reduce delays to a bare minimum (time based decisions with predictable milestones) and in approvals by providing mandatory time frames for submissions by consultants/contractors and approvals by client/consultants.