Namibia's Central Procurement Board receives 422 applications for bid evaluation committee

The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) announced that it received 422 applications to join its Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) database, reflecting strong public interest in supporting transparent public procurement. Of the applicants, 235 (56%) were women and 187 (44%) men, indicating notable gender representation.

The surge follows reforms introduced earlier this year to tighten the appointment process for BEC members under the Public Procurement Act. All applications are being verified, and shortlisted candidates will be invited to a mandatory five‑day training programme, followed by a competency assessment. Successful participants will be added to the CPBN database and eligible for future committee appointments, with notifications expected by the end of August.

Johanna Kambala, stakeholder relations manager at CPBN, highlighted the response as evidence of growing public confidence in Namibia’s procurement system. The training will be conducted in partnership with the Namibia University of Science and Technology.