ISLAMABAD: The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has finalised a comprehensive draft of the Public Assets Disposal Regulations, 2025, aimed at strengthening transparency, competition, and accountability in the disposal of public sector assets.
The draft regulations propose mandatory advertisement of all asset disposals with a reserve price exceeding Rs 5 million on the Electronic Pakistan Acquisition and Disposal System (EPADS), sources told Business Recorder.
According to the draft, all procuring agencies will be required to prepare an Annual Disposal Plan at the beginning of each financial year, identifying assets earmarked for disposal.
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The plan will be published on EPADS, PPRA’s website, and the procuring agency’s website, where available. Agencies will also be allowed to revise or update their disposal plans during the year to accommodate emerging needs.
Under the proposed framework, all disposal opportunities — irrespective of value — will be published on EPADS to ensure maximum visibility and competition. Disposals valued up to Rs 5 million, based on the reserve price, must additionally be advertised on PPRA’s website and the procuring agency’s website.
The regulations require that all information related to disposal proceedings remain available until the bid submission deadline. To enhance participation, the draft regulations prescribe minimum response times of 10 calendar days for national competitive bidding and 20 calendar days for international competitive bidding, calculated from the date of publication on EPADS.
A key institutional reform under the draft is the mandatory establishment of a Procurement Cell in every procuring agency, if not already in place.
The cell will comprise PPRA-accredited officers with relevant qualifications or experience and will be responsible for managing both procurement and disposal of public assets.
The responsibilities of the Procurement Cell include verification of the condition and location of assets proposed for disposal, conducting market analysis to determine reserve prices aligned with prevailing market rates, preparation and publication of disposal documents, facilitation of bidder queries, coordination of inspections and site visits, monitoring disposal proceedings to prevent market manipulation, and maintaining a complete record of disposal transactions.
For bid opening and evaluation, the Principal Accounting Officer or head of the procuring agency will constitute a Disposal Committee comprising an odd number of members. Where required, external members may also be nominated. Decisions of the committee will be taken by simple majority.
To further enhance oversight, the draft regulations introduce a Third-Party Validation (TPV) mechanism for high-value transactions. A TPV Committee or firm, selected from PPRA’s pre-qualified pool, will be mandatory for all disposals exceeding Rs 500 million.
The TPV will validate disposal documents, oversee bid opening and evaluation, identify irregularities or non-compliance, and submit a report with findings and recommendations before the award of contract.
In case of any conflict between the recommendations of the Disposal Committee and the TPV report, the Principal Accounting Officer or head of the procuring agency will make the final decision, supported by written justification.
The draft rules emphasize open, equal, and unrestricted competition, allowing participation by all eligible bidders registered on EPADS.
While single responsive bids may be considered, procuring agencies will be required to ensure rate reasonability and strict compliance with eligibility and evaluation criteria.
Detailed provisions have also been laid down for pre-qualification, particularly for expensive or technically complex assets, to ensure that only technically and financially capable bidders are allowed to participate. Pre-qualification results, including reasons for disqualification, will be published on EPADS and relevant websites.
The regulations introduce a robust framework for qualification, disqualification, and blacklisting of bidders and contractors. Blacklisting periods range from six months to ten years, depending on the nature and severity of violations such as fraud, misrepresentation, or failure to perform contractual obligations.
Blacklisted entities will be cross-debarred across public sector entities, subject to appeal and review mechanisms provided under the regulations.
Bids for disposal of public assets will be submitted electronically through EPADS, with bidders receiving auto-generated acknowledgements as proof of submission.
Procuring agencies may require bidders to furnish earnest money of up to 10 percent of the reserve price, which may be forfeited in specified circumstances, including withdrawal of bids or failure to honor contractual commitments.
Multiple methods for disposal have been prescribed, including e-auctions, e-bidding through single-stage one-envelope or two-envelope procedures, framework agreements for recurring disposals, direct contracting with government entities under defined conditions, and destruction of assets where no viable disposal or recycling option exists, subject to environmental approvals.
The draft regulations also establish a comprehensive grievance redressal and dispute resolution mechanism, including independent grievance redressal committees and appellate forums within PPRA.
Disposal proceedings may be suspended in case of complaints, while PPRA has been empowered to declare cases of mis-disposal, annul proceedings, and refer matters for disciplinary or criminal action in instances of material deviation from procurement laws.
Sources said the proposed Public Assets Disposal Regulations, 2025, are intended to fully integrate public asset disposal with EPADS, improve auditability, minimise discretionary decision-making, and align disposal practices with international best practices.
Once notified, the regulations are expected to significantly tighten oversight over the disposal of public assets across federal and provincial entities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026