The supply and stores function is a vital and essential part of Government operations. Its purpose is to ensure that Government operations, in whatever form, are not interrupted by the lack of materials, equipment and supplies in their right quality and quantity, nor are the operations made unnecessarily expensive through over procurement, deterioration and the lack of proper care and control of supplies. The function is therefore responsible for the economic provisioning, procurement, control, storage, care, preservation, distribution of all Government supplies, stores, materials, equipment and other movable property, and for accounting for them in the correct manner. 0102 Although service is the principal objective of the supply and stores function it is of paramount importance that all Government officers concerned with any aspect of the function are keenly aware that it is public money that is involved. Such officers are charged with the duty of ensuring that:-
- when goods are purchased the best possible value and the best possible terms are obtained.
- When goods are held in store every care is taken to ensure that they are maintained in a condition fit for issue and use.
- Goods are released from store only to properly authorized persons for properly authorized purposes.
- Stockholdings are at all times kept to an economic minimum consistent with the maintenance of an effective service level
