The National Procurement Commission of Sri Lanka
The National Procurement Commission of Sri Lanka was established in terms of Article 156B. (1) Of Chapter XIX B of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, consisting with five members appointed by the Precedent on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, of whom at least three members shall be persons who have had proven experience in procurement, accountancy, law or public administration. On the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, the President shall appoint one member as the Chairman of the Commission.
Key Functions
(a) Monitor and report to the appropriate authorities, on whether all procurement of goods and services, works, consultancy services and information systems by government institutions are based on procurement plans prepared in accordance with previously approved action plans;
(b) Monitor and report to the appropriate authorities on whether all qualified bidders for the provision of goods and services, works, consultancy services and information systems by government institutions are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in the bidding process for the provision of those goods and services, works, consultancy services and information systems;
(c) Monitor and report to the appropriate authorities on whether the procedures for the selection of contractors and the awarding of contracts for the provision of goods and services, works, consultancy services and information systems to government institutions, are fair and transparent;
(d) Report on whether members of Procurement Committees and Technical Evaluation Committees relating to the procurements, appointed by government institutions are suitably qualified;
(e) Investigate complaints/reports of procurements made by government institutions outside established procedures and guidelines, and to report the officers responsible for such procurements to the relevant authorities for necessary action;
and
(f) Awareness creation and capacity building of the policies, guidelines and procedures on public procurement.
Organizational Structure
Our Team
The current composition of the National Procurement Commission is as follows;
Commission Members
Mrs. Sudharma Karunaratne
She has held several prominent roles, as a Secretary of the Ministries of Health, Petroleum Resource Development, Plantation Industries, and Women Affairs. Her leadership as the Director General has also significantly impacted key Departments such as the Department of Management Services, National Budget, and Sri Lanka Customs. She made history as the First Female Director General of Sri Lanka Customs.
Following her retirement, Ms. Karunaratne continued her dedication to the Public Service as a Member of the Public Service Commission and the Procurement Appeal Board. Since May 2023, she has been the Chairperson of the National Procurement Commission, furthering her commitment to enhancing public sector governance.
Ms. Karunaratne holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Carlton University, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts degree (Special) in Geography with First Class Honours from the University of Sri Jayawardenepura, Sri Lanka.
Mr. W. Ivan Tissera
Mr. Ivan Tissera is currently serving as a Commission member of the National Procurement Commission (NPC) Sri Lanka and He is serving is an external lecture of the MSc in Public Procurement and Supply chain Management, Open University.
Mr. Tissera started his career as a Government Accountant (1982) and retired as the Additional Director General in charge of Public Procurement at the Ministry of Finance. (MoF) He also served as the Additional Director General, Department of Project Management and Budget Monitoring and a Director, Department of Public Finance, MoF (2000- 2013)
Mr. Tissera has served as the Director of Capacity Building at the National Procurement Agency (NPA) (2004-2008) and has served as the Head, Centre for Financial Management and a Senior Consultant, Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA) (2000 -2004)
He has served as a Procurement Specialist for World Bank financed project (IRQUE), Ministry of Higher Education (2004) and has served as a Procurement Audit Consultant of PWC (2014-2015), Senior Procurement Expert, Procurement Audit Expert, USAID Short Term Public Financial Management Reform (STAIR) Project (2016-2017) , Procurement Curriculum Development Expert for THE National Procurement Institute (NPI) in Kabul, Afghanistan (2017- 2018), He has serve as the Lead Consultant and Head of PFM, USAID PFM and Trade Project ( 2019) and has served as a member of the Procurement Appeal Board (PAB) (2022-23)
Mr. Tissera has undergone an advanced procurement training, Private Infrastructure Projects at International Law Institute (ILI), Washington D.C, World Banks’ Procurement Procedure at the Administrative Staff Collage (ASCI), Hyderabad, India, Training of Trainer (TOT) at the National Training Institute (INTAN) Malaysia, further he has obtained a Diploma Certificate in Public Procurement Capacity Building at the University of Turin, Italy.
Mr. Ivan Tissera is a Bachelor of Arts in Economics (Honors), University of Peradeniya, (1980) Graduate Certificate in Economics of Development, Australian National University (ANU) (1996) and has earned his Master of Commerce (MCom) in economics, University of Wollongong, Australia. (1997)
He is a Fellow Member (FPFA) of the Association of Public Finance Accountants, Sri Lanka (APFASL), Public Sector Wing, Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, and an Associate Member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CPA), Sri Lanka.
Mr. D.A.P.S. Daranagama
D.A.P.S. Daranagama. B.Sc (Eng), PG Dip., MASCE, C.Eng., MIESL, MICE
A Chartered Civil Engineer with over forty years of experience in the Construction industry of both public and private sectors. He retired from the Sri Lanka Engineering Service, as the Deputy Chief Secretary (Engineering) of the North Western Province and continued his services as a National Project Director, for several Road Construction Projects funded by International Agencies. Eng. Daranagama continued as a Senior Consultant to landmark mega Road construction Projects including Southern Expressway extension and World Bank funded Transport Connectivity and Asset Management Project, before being appointed as a member of the National Procurement Commission.
Mr. S. Sumanthiran
S.Sumanthiran. B.com(Hons.), Ad.Dip.(CIMA), PG Dip., MPM, CIPFA(UK), CPFA.
A Sri Lanka Government Accountant (SLAcct.S) having more than 30 years of experience in government accounting and internal auditing in the public sector and the NGO. He held senior capacities in several Ministries as an accountant and Internal Auditor. He served as a Procurement Accountant in the Ministry of Urban Development and Water Supply and also served as a Ministry Representative in the major Tender Board of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board and SLLRDC. He served as an Admin and Finance officer in the UN Habitat as well. He was a Chief Internal Auditor in the Prime Minister’s Office before being appointed as a member of the National Procurement Commission.
Dr. A.G.P.A. Gunawansha
He is a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators and a Distinguished Panel Member of the Thailand Arbitration Centre and a Member of several other international arbitration centers including SIAC, HKIAC and AIAC. In the past, Dr. Gunawansa had worked for the United Nations as a Legal Officer and as a Professor at the National University of Singapore. He started his career as a State Counsel attached to the Department of the Attorney General of Sri Lanka.