To ensure that public sector agencies conduct their commercial transactions with probity, the VGPB has produced the Probity Best Practice Advice and Probity Policy. The procurement process was assessed against the probity requirements set out in these VGPB guidelines.
In order to assess whether appropriate records were maintained, the following items have been examined:
• probity reports
• steering committee minutes.
The probity auditor was present at all steering committee meetings where the evaluations were discussed. Probity issues were discussed and responses reported at the steering committee meetings.
The probity plan met 10 of the 12 VGPB requirements. The two requirements not met were:
• the use of a data room (optional)
• a description of the requirement to develop a database for recording keeping (as recommended in the VGPB Probity Plan template).
We assess that overall expected standards of probity were maintained and enforced for this procurement.