October 14, 2026
IC raises concern about trend in awarding of multi-billion-dollar Government contracts, particularly for single source
Written byPatrice Walters
The Integrity Commission has raised concerns about a trend in the awarding of multibillion-dollar government contracts, particularly for single-source contracts.
A special report from the Commission was tabled in Parliament yesterday.
The special report sets out the findings of the Director of Investigation on the contracts awarded by procuring entities in 2025 and on the trends in contract awards from 2006 to 2025.
The report is based on the quarterly contract award reports submitted to the Commission, and assesses the findings against the objects of the Public Procurement Act, which makes open competition the general rule.
In 2025, procuring entities reported 33, 583 contracts valued at $336.4 billion dollars.
Among the areas of concern are awards which the Commission said warrant examination by Parliament.
In 2025, 3,052 single source awards, valued at $51.6 billion, were above the single source threshold, where the Act permits the method only in limited circumstances.
The report found that on 416 occasions, single source awards made to the same contractor on the same day together exceeded the single source limit.
The Commission said single source awards above the single source threshold, where the method is permitted only in limited circumstances and repeated and same-day single source awards to the same contractors may indicate non-compliance, including the division of requirements contrary to section 25 (g) of the Act.
Section 25 (g) of the Act prohibits the division of a requirement to avoid a more competitive method.
The returns show a large number of repeated and same-day single-source awards to the same contractors, some of which together exceeded the single-source limit.
The Commission says such patterns may have legitimate explanations, and the Commission will examine them, but they may also indicate division contrary to section 25 (g).
It is recommended that Parliament considers whether section 25 (g) as presently framed, is sufficient to achieve its purpose and whether the rules on the aggregation of requirements should be clarified.
