‘Procurement of services and goods in Pakistan’ ACEP plans mega moot on March 9 Pakistani clients should focus on quality-based selection: Engr. Khalid Pervez

The asThe Association of Consulting Engineers Pakistan (ACEP) has come up with an idea to play its part in improving the procedure of procurement of services and goods in Pakistan.
sociation has planned to host a mega conference on March 9, 2019, focusing leading people responsible for procurement of services and goods in top companies and industries in Pakistan, Engr. Khalid Pervez, the head of KP Consulting Pvt. Ltd told Engineering Review.
Engr. Khalid Pervez having over 45 years of experience on his credit is a member of the executive council of the association believes they have to play a critical role as the new leadership has taken over the association.
“We are trying to introduce many things and this moot will focus on the procedure of procurement of services keeping in view the experience and best practices in developed countries’, he said.
The association is faced with a number of issues over the many years of its journey and of which many are associated with vices becoming rampant in the society. And Engr. Khalid Pervez is the one who knows what is happening in the world of consultancy in Pakistan.
Consultants also come from this society where even lifesaving drugs are being tampered. Thus, how could you expect consultants being escaped from such practices? Surely, there would be many black sheep who indulge in every kind of negativity, he replied a question.
Unfortunately, there are many consultants who do not qualify to be consultants and are not authorized under PEC bylaws. But still, they are working as there is no issue of fees with them. They say they don’t need any fees but the project. How they earn money is everybody’s guess. Clients are also aware of such practices. Maybe, they lack clarity and most of the Pakistani clients who are even educated, informed and working with big private sector organizations don’t go on quality-based selection and chose a cost-based selection. Thus, professional consultants cannot compete.
Consultants are divided into two categories one, who do not demand fees and, two, the professional no matter they may be small in number.
ACEP’s new team is about to take over, what do you expect from it?
I am a member of the executive committee of the association. We are trying to introduce new things and making efforts to turn it into a vibrant organization.
ACEP is organizing a big conference on March 9, 2019, with the title ‘Procurement of Services and Goods’. We will be focusing on the procedure of procurements of services and goods and how to improve them keeping in view the experience of developed countries.
Who will be benefited other than consultants? All those companies and industries who look for quality services and goods. We focus the people in leading corporate sector companies like PPL who are responsible for the procurement of services and goods for their companies. Then, there are big industrial units such as the House of Habib which has many industrial units. They all require consultants and goods for their projects.n