By Su Xing and Guo Chen

BEIJING, May 18 -- Recently, the Logistic Support Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC) issued a notice on the pilot program of organizing military entrusted civilian agencies to implement military procurement projects, which is going to be conducted by the procurement departments under the PLA Air Force, the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, the Agency for Offices Administration of the CMC, and the Chinese Armed Police Force.

A chief of the CMC Logistic Support Department said that the pilot program aims to improve the military's procurement capacity and efficiency by introducing capable civilian forces into the military’s procurement activities.

The pilot program will be fulfilled through three stages—planning, implementation, and promotion—in one year. It will entrust civilian agencies to carry out non-confidential procurement projects, with strict supervising criteria set for the selection process and the management of projects. Problems and useful experience will be carefully studied and summed up for further promotion.

Military units involved shall assume the primary responsibilities for the process and results of the procurement projects, the review of the procurement contracts and documents, and the supervision of the entrusted agencies.