On April 15-16. 2026 a two-day workshop on “Public Procurement. Management and Disposal of Public Assets” was held at the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), Lahore, for participants of the 46^th Mid-Career Management Course (MCMC). The workshop was led by Dr. Irfan Ahmad, a distinguished expert in public procurement and contract management. The first day of the workshop centered on Public Procurement, while the second day primarily addressed Contract Management. Dr. Ahmad began by introducing participants to fundamental concepts such as Bids, Tenders, and relevant Rules & Regulations. He emphasized the importance of transparency competitiveness, and accountability in public procurement. He also elaborated on the need for clearly defined Terms and Conditions, including price and rate setting, warranties and guarantees, and the use of technical specifications and standards to ensure quality and compliance. While discussing Contract Management, Dr. Ahmad explained, inter alia, the eligibility and qualification requirements for bidders. encompassing relevant experience, past performance, financial strength, human and technical resources. and managerial capability. Dr. Ahmad also discussed fundamental concepts such as pre-contract review. contract finalization, types of contracts (consultancy contracts, goods contracts, works contracts), and contract management. A key component of the second day of the workshop was a demonstration of the E-Pak Acquisition & Disposal System (EPADS), developed by the federal government to digitalize the public procurement process.

Each topic was followed by a hands-on exercise/simulation and a question & answer session. After the discussion on Public Procurement, the class was divided into six groups, each tasked with preparing and presenting a procurement document on a real-world case. Following the discussion on Contract Management, a simulation exercise was conducted, with the class divided into two groups, each comprising three sub-groups representing the Contractor, Procuring Agency, and Arbitrators. As the participants presented their work, Dr. Ahmad commended the quality of work and arguments presented by the participants. The participants demonstrated keen interest in the discussion and asked insightful questions, which the guest speaker adeptly answered.