Rustam Minnikhanov: "Improving the public procurement system should be focused on import substitution"

On May 21, speaking at the opening of the All-Russian Forum in procurement for state and municipal needs held in Kazan, Acting President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, said that Tatarstan pays special attention to the public procurement, with more than 280,000 contracts and agreements for a total amount of 86.1 million roubles concluded in 2014, which is among the highest indictors in the Volga Federal District.

The forum is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Office of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Government of the republic.

Minnikhanov reminded that the federal law "On the contract system in the procurement of goods, works and services for state and municipal needs" has been effective for over a year. "Now we can say with confidence that it allow us to solve the main problems in this area. In particular, the increase in the efficiency of public procurement, the fight against corruption and improving the efficiency of use of budgetary funds," he said, adding that Tatarstan ranks first in the Volga Federal District in the value of contracts concluded by the results of determining the competitive ability of suppliers.

According to Minnikhanov, the republic regularly analyses the procurement activities to make proposals for their improvement. "Under current economic situation, improvement of the public procurement system should be focused on import substitution and support domestic producers," he said.

"We propose to consider the possibility of additional preferences for Russian producers in public procurement to provide regions opportunities for making regulatory decisions to support local producers," Minnikhanov concluded.