Guangdong's Detailed Rules for Delegating Authority in the Procurement of Scientific Research Instruments and Equipment Have Been Implemented

To further improve the government procurement management of provincial-level fiscal research projects and implement the requirements of the "Notice of the General Office of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the Guangdong Provincial People's Government on the Implementation Opinions (Trial) on Further Improving the Management of Provincial-Level Fiscal Research Project Funds," the Guangdong Provincial Department of Finance recently issued a notice stipulating relevant matters concerning the improvement of the procurement management of scientific research instruments and equipment by provincial universities and research institutes.

The notice clarifies that provincial universities and research institutes may organize their own procurement or entrust procurement agencies to procure various types of scientific research instruments and equipment, and procurement activities should be carried out in accordance with the provisions of government procurement laws and regulations.

Guangdong will implement a filing system for the procurement of imported scientific research instruments and equipment by provincial universities and research institutes. The notice points out that provincial universities and research institutes should conduct expert review as required when procuring imported scientific research instruments and equipment. Experts participating in the review can be selected independently, and expert review opinions should be archived with the procurement documents for future reference. Provincial universities and research institutes can directly file their government procurement plans after uploading expert review opinions and expert lists through the Guangdong Provincial Department of Finance's online service hall government procurement system. For imported products already registered within the same budget year, provincial universities and research institutions do not need to conduct repeated expert reviews for subsequent purchases; they can directly register their government procurement plans with the original expert review opinions attached. According to the "Opinions of the General Office of the Guangdong Provincial People's Government on Further Deepening the Reform of the Government Procurement Management System," for products listed in the imported product list, provincial universities and research institutions do not need to provide expert review opinions again for the purchase of products listed in the imported product list; they can directly register their government procurement plans.

To further implement the policy of "loosening restrictions" on the procurement of scientific research instruments and equipment, Guangdong will accelerate the approval process for changes in the government procurement methods for scientific research instruments and equipment by provincial universities and research institutions. When applying to change the government procurement method, provincial universities and research institutions can specify "scientific research instruments and equipment," and the finance department will give priority to approval. For goods and services procurement projects that reach the threshold for open bidding and are intended to adopt non-bidding procurement methods, the procuring entity shall comply with the provisions of the "Administrative Measures for Non-Bidding Methods of Government Procurement."

The notice stipulates that provincial universities and research institutions can independently select review experts for scientific research instruments and equipment. For the procurement of scientific research instruments and equipment, provincial universities and research institutions can independently select review experts from outside the government procurement review expert database. If self-selected review experts have a conflict of interest with suppliers, the relevant regulations on recusal should be strictly followed. After the review process is completed, provincial universities and research institutes should mark the self-selected review experts in the list of review experts and announce this along with the winning bid and transaction results.

The notice points out that the procurement of equipment included in the Guangdong Provincial High-Level University Scientific Research Instrument and Equipment Dynamic Project Database will continue to be carried out in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Guangdong Provincial High-Level University Scientific Research Instrument and Equipment Dynamic Project Database Management Measures.

Furthermore, the notice emphasizes the internal control management of scientific research instrument and equipment procurement. The notice requires provincial universities and research institutes to further improve their internal management regulations, strengthen internal control management of scientific research instrument and equipment procurement, strictly implement relevant government procurement regulations, and proactively disclose relevant government procurement information, ensuring that the entire process of scientific research instrument and equipment procurement is open, transparent, and traceable, in accordance with the "Guiding Opinions of the Ministry of Finance on Strengthening Internal Management of Government Procurement Activities."