Southern Africa Development Community Secretariat – Procurement and Grants Policy Preamble 1. Noting that SADC Secretariat as executive institution of Southern African Development Community (SADC) is responsible under the SADC Treaty for financial administration of SADC resources; 2. Acknowledging the need to create a regulatory framework to govern procurement and grants systems and processes of the SADC Secretariat and its decentralized structures; 3. Considering the need to align the procurement and grants systems and processes with current international best practices that guarantee transparency, competitiveness, value for money and attainment of intended procurement and grants objectives; 4. Further, noting the necessity to have relevant provisions of the SADC Secretariat’s Financial Regulations maintained in the present Policy: The Council of Ministers has approved the provisions of this Policy to enter into force on 1st January 2017; and From the date of entry into force this Policy shall replace the Procurement Policy and SADC Secretariat’s Procurement Regulations of 2011, as amended. 1