Ads by Google Ads by Google

Ivy Aiumu Taufa’asau is new Chief Procurement Officer

After first being nominated last year as ASG chief procurement officer and being rejected by the Senate during last year's second session, Ivy Aiumu Taufa’asau was yesterday confirmed by the Senate 13-2. The House had confirmed Taufa’asau on Thursday.

She replaced the late CPO Tauiliili Pat Tervola who passed away in late January of last year.

Before the Senate vote yesterday, the Senate Government Operations Committee convened earlier in the day for Taufa’asau’s confirmation hearing where she was asked to explain her role in the ASG bidding process and the status of the Call Center Training Facility project that was put out to bid last year.

Sen. Lualemaga Faoa asked about reports from ASG departments citing the lack of supplies available at the Procurement Office warehouse.

Taufa’asau testified that there is no funding available for such purposes and her office is presently only able to restock government's paper product supplies.

She also said the Procurement warehouse is being used to store appliances for the Territorial Energy Office.

Lualemaga also queried the ASG bidding process and the source evaluation board (SEB) and their recommendations.

Taufa’asau offered a brief explanation about the process and pointed out that under local statute, the CPO has the final decision on any procurement project and can override a SEB recommendation.

Sen. Fuata Dr. T. Iatala asked Taufa’asau if she had overruled any SEB recommendations in her capacity as acting CPO, since January last year.

Taufa’asau testified she had overruled only one SEB recommendation as acting CPO, based on the cost, giving the contract award to the lowest bidder, for the Call Center Training Facility project.

She explained that the two bidders for the project received the same score from the SEB.

Taufa’asau said she endorsed all the other SEB recommendations for projects and pointed out the SEB recommendation is a very important part of the CPO's final decision.

Sen. Velega Savali commented that this Call Center project was supposed to provide jobs but nothing has moved forward and wanted to know the status of the training facility.

Taufa’asau responded that this was a “dead issue” for Procurement. She said it was up to the the Department of Human Resources, the local agency overseeing this project, whether to go forward with it.