
Kenya Power awarded tenders worth Ksh 4.15 billion to youth, women and persons with disabilities (PWDs) during the last financial year (ended 30th June 2024).
The achievement was against a target of Ksh 1.2 billion for the financial year. Businesses owned by the youth took up the biggest chunk of the total value of Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) tenders accounting for Ksh 3.8 billion.
The approval surpassed the Ksh 1.2 billion target that the company had set under AGPO. Over the previous financial year (ended 30th June 2023), the company awarded Ksh 472 million worth of tenders to these groups.
Kenya Power’s General Manager for Supply Chain and Logistics Dr John Ngeno attributed the increment of AGPO tenders to deliberate effort by the company to sensitize target groups on procurement opportunities.
“During the last financial year, we sustained education forums for the special interest groups on how to participate in our procurement process. The uptake has been steady over the years owing to these engagements and we hope to sustain 100% absorption of our annual AGPO budget as more Kenyans become aware of these opportunities,” Ngeno said.
Under the AGPO category, KPLC awards tenders that are not highly technical. They include the supply of locally available materials and common user items, works and services, and the provision of cleaning services, among others.
Youth-owned businesses took up the biggest chunk of the total value of AGPO tenders accounting for Ksh 3.8 billion followed by those owned by women and PWDs at Ksh 324 million and Ksh 1.3 million respectively.
“Through AGPO, we aim to foster inclusivity in our procurement processes. Going forward, our focus will be more on persons with disabilities and women. Through tailored engagements, we want to ensure that they participate actively in our procurement as is the case with the youth,” Dr Ngeno said.
He said that the company will continue to collaborate with financial institutions to provide linkages for financial support to the interest groups to facilitate their participation in the procurement processes.
This is in addition to sensitization workshops and conferences targeting these groups, pre-bid conferences during the tendering period to enhance knowledge, increased publicity of the available AGPO opportunities as well as prompt payment for suppliers to strengthen their cash flow.
During the current financial year, the Company is targeting to award Ksh 11.6 billion worth of AGPO tenders to the three special interest groups.