Comptroller urges gov’t contractors to follow the rules
- The San Juan Daily Star
- 2 hours ago
- 1 min read
By The Star Staff
Commonwealth Comptroller Yesmín Valdivieso Galib on Thursday called on all government contractors, public agencies and municipalities to follow the rules that govern government contracting, as part of her educational campaign “Avoiding Accusations Is in Your Hands.”
“The regulations on government contracting are very strict and specific since they are public funds,’ Valdivieso said in a written statement. “We recommend that they ensure that the contract complies with all the requirements of the law, the regulations and interpretive jurisprudence to avoid irregularities.”
The official warned that all contracts must be in writing, signed by all parties, have prospective validity and be registered and sent to the Comptroller’s Office Contracts Registry before the start of the contracted services. The contractor must receive confirmation by email indicating that the contract was registered.
Among the most common findings detected by the office’s audits are payments without a contract, services provided outside the validity period, lack of essential clauses, or the late referral of the contract to the office’s Contracts Registry.
“Public procurement accounts for a significant proportion of the government budget,” Valdivieso said. “Therefore, contractors have the responsibility to ensure compliance with all the legal regulations that apply to avoid being flagged or a recommendation for recovery.”