Digital procurement powered by clear, trusted product identification.
Kenya’s rollout of the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system is in the spotlight this week, as counties and national ministries transition fully from manual procurement to digital platforms. The move aims to reduce corruption, streamline processes and ensure that public funds deliver value. However, for this system to function smoothly, every product and supplier in the supply chain must be traceable.
GS1 standards provide the framework to make this happen. Assigning Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) to products ensures every item is uniquely identifiable, while Global Location Numbers (GLNs) mark each supplier and warehouse in the chain. When government agencies post tenders and receive bids, they can instantly reconcile submitted product IDs with official records, reducing the risk of errors or fraudulent claims.
For example, a county health department procuring medical supplies can scan GTIN-coded products delivered to a GLN-registered warehouse. The system immediately confirms that the delivered goods match the tender specifications. In cases of discrepancies or recalls, GS1 identifiers allow rapid tracing back to the supplier or production batch, preventing large-scale errors or misuse of public resources.
NGOs and donor agencies also benefit. Many development programmes supply items like vaccines, food aid or school materials to counties or communities. Using GS1 standards ensures that items reach the intended beneficiaries and that donors can verify delivery and usage building trust in accountability.
The e-GP rollout, coupled with GS1 identifiers, represents more than technology, it is a cultural shift towards data-driven transparency and traceable procurement. By adopting these standards, Kenya’s public sector is laying the groundwork for efficient audits, reduced procurement fraud and greater citizen confidence. In short, every GTIN scanned and every GLN recorded brings a tangible improvement to public sector accountability, turning digital procurement from a policy into a visible, measurable impact.
