Amendments to the law on state purchases, applicable to government orders of goods as well as services, have been sent to the State Duma for ratification, the lower house of parliament's electronic database showed Monday.
Economic Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina has said the amendments define the manner by which starting prices for government contracts are set and require that public justifications of them be made.
According to Nabiullina, an open list of information sources has been compiled that is necessary for setting starting prices. The information comes from statistical data, the state purchases web site, the government contracts registrar, producers' prices and the results of market research.
The government could also provide a confidential list of information for the purchaser to cite in determining the price for particular types of goods.
Another amendment reinforces the guarantee that quality goods are purchased. According to the minister, the purchaser would have the right to establish requirements for equipment assembly and training on how to use it. She added that, at present, equipment purchased is sometimes not installed because that detail was not included in the contract.
One amendment allows the efficient purchasing of innovative and technically complex products, giving the government the right to make specifications for purchases of certain types of goods.
Martin Shakkum, head of the State Duma committee for construction and land relations, said the amendments would be adopted "expeditiously." He they would possibly receive final ratification before the end of the spring session.
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