Heilongjiang relaxes regulations on the procurement of scientific research instruments, institutions gain autonomy

The Government Procurement Management Office of the Department of Finance of Heilongjiang Province recently issued a document clarifying the relevant regulations on the government procurement of scientific research equipment after the 'unties'. In the future, universities and research institutes in the province will have greater autonomy when purchasing scientific research equipment. The Government Procurement Management Office of the Department of Finance of Heilongjiang Province stipulates that the government procurement regulations for scientific research equipment after the 'relaxation' are mainly targeted at universities and scientific research institutes. The procurement items involved include instruments and equipment used for scientific research projects in the annual centralized procurement catalog. Regarding the procedures for the identification of scientific research equipment and equipment, the Provincial Procurement Office stipulates that the procurement unit shall organize three or more relevant personnel to demonstrate whether the purchased items belong to scientific research equipment and equipment, and form a demonstration opinion. The relevant personnel need to sign on the expert demonstration opinion form. And keep it together as a government procurement file. Regarding the organizational procedures for the procurement of scientific research equipment, the province’s procurement office stipulated that relevant units should declare the department’s centralized procurement plan on the Treasury’s centralized payment network in accordance with the department’s centralized procurement procedures, and upload the attached 'Expert Argumentation Opinion Form.' The government procurement office will approve the procurement plan and issue it to the procurement unit. The procurement method is determined by the procurement unit based on the procurement requirements of scientific research equipment. The procurement method is selected: 'departmental centralized procurement of public bidding for scientific research, departmental centralized procurement of competitive negotiation and scientific research, etc.'. Procurement units can organize procurement by themselves according to internal procedures, or they can entrust social agencies. The Procurement Office of Heilongjiang Province also emphasized that relevant units must formulate and strictly implement internal management measures for the procurement of scientific research equipment. Must be implemented in strict accordance with the government procurement operating procedures, and standardized operations. All relevant supervision departments shall supervise the procurement activities of scientific research instruments and equipment of all units according to their respective functions. It is understood that the Heilongjiang Provincial Procurement Office's 'unwinding' the procurement of scientific research equipment is aimed at implementing the relevant requirements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council and the Heilongjiang Provincial Party Committee on simplifying the procurement management of scientific research equipment. The Central Office and the State Council announced in July the 'Several Opinions on Further Improving the Funding Management of Central Financial Research Projects, Travel and meetings, capital construction, scientific research equipment procurement, etc., to create a good environment for scientific research personnel to concentrate on research. Improve government procurement management of central universities and research institutes. Central universities and scientific research institutes can purchase scientific research instruments and equipment by themselves, and select experts for scientific research instruments and equipment evaluations by themselves. The Ministry of Finance should simplify the approval process for government procurement project budget adjustments and changes to government procurement methods. Central universities and research institutes must effectively supervise and manage equipment procurement, and ensure that the entire process is open, transparent, and traceable. Optimize the procurement service of imported equipment. A record-keeping system shall be implemented for the procurement of imported instruments and equipment by central universities and research institutes. Continue to implement the tax exemption policy for imported scientific research and teaching supplies. In August of this year, the Heilongjiang Provincial Government issued the 'Heilongjiang Province 2016 Work Plan for Promoting the Reform of Streamlining Administration, Decentralization, Decentralization, and Optimized ServiceMake clear provisions on the adjustment of scientific research funding budget, the use of surplus funds for scientific research projects, and the procurement of scientific research equipment and equipment, so as to create loose conditions for scientific research personnel to carry out scientific research activities.