Based on the current crisis related to the international context and its repercussions on the rise in prices of raw materials and their scarcity in the construction sector, works and public orders, Akhannouch issued last Monday, a circular to improve the conditions of public orders and ensure the continuity of the activity of national companies and their competitiveness, said Baitas at a press briefing following the council's meeting.

In this regard, he noted that the circular includes eight axes that approve a set of procedures under the reform of the system of public procurement, the most important is the extension of the duration of contracts of public orders in progress, which were concluded on behalf of the State and public institutions, by granting an extension of up to six months, and returning the fines for delay applied before the issuance of this circular, which have proved to be unjustified in view of the extension of deadlines, as well as the possibility of amicable termination of the operation without associating the termination with the forfeiture of financial guarantees.

The minister underlined that the circular also includes the settlement of disputes arising from the forfeiture of financial guarantees, and the revision of prices of work orders, stressing that the circular called the Ministry of Equipment and Water to update the indicators adopted in the formulas for price revision.

In addition, Baitas noted that this circular provides for accelerating the disbursement of the amount of work without calculating the amount of price revision and return the financial guarantees blocked, as well as ensure strict management of the situation with regard to outstanding orders, and affected by the increase in prices.

The circular seeks primarily to enable national companies to cope with the exceptional circumstances caused by the price increase resulting from the current global context.

At the beginning of the Council, the Head of Government addressed Circular 09/2022 on exceptional measures to mitigate the impact of rising prices and scarcity of raw materials on contractual commitments in the context of public orders, welcoming the involvement of various stakeholders to overcome this difficult circumstance faced by the international and national economy, while calling for its implementation.