Transforming Government Procurement with AGPO: My Journey
Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) is a platform developed by the National Treasury of Kenya to empower youth, women, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) by enabling their enterprises to participate in government procurement. Over the past 12 years, AGPO has certified over 350,000 businesses, fundamentally transforming the way these enterprises interact with government procurement systems. I am proud to have been part of the team that designed and implemented this platform, a project that continues to have a lasting impact.
The Problem
Prior to AGPO, businesses seeking certification to work with the government faced a manual, labor-intensive process. This inefficiency created barriers for many small enterprises, especially those led by youth, women, and PWDs. Certificates were generated manually, requiring applicants to make repeated visits to government offices—a time-consuming and often inaccessible process.
The Solution
As the lead developer, I spearheaded the design and implementation of a solution to eliminate these bottlenecks. Our team set out clear requirements and developed the AGPO platform within a year. The system digitized the certification process, enabling businesses to apply and receive certificates online from the comfort of their homes. This marked a significant operational boost for the agency and increased accessibility for users.
Platform Architecture
The AGPO platform was designed with a user-friendly front end, an administration back end, and an API to manage interactions. Built on the Laravel framework, it incorporated microservices and Python-based queued jobs, including automated certificate generation. The platform was initially deployed on the cloud (AWS), ensuring scalability and reliability.
Enhancements Over the Years
To meet evolving user requirements and regulatory changes, the platform underwent several upgrades:
- System Integrations: We integrated AGPO with key government systems such as:
- Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)
- Integrated Population Registration System (IPRS)
- Business Registration Service (BRS)
- National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) These integrations ensured accurate validation of businesses and their owners before certification, enhancing trust and efficiency.
- Data Sovereignty Compliance: In line with new legislation requiring all government data to reside within Kenya, we migrated the platform from AWS to servers managed by the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA). This migration posed unique challenges, including:
- Setting up on-premises load balancing and private subnets.
- Ensuring redundancy, replication, and security in an environment prone to power outages.
- Overcoming my own limited experience with networking and infrastructure management at the time.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
One of the most rewarding aspects of this project was navigating its multifaceted challenges:
- Transitioning from cloud to on-premises infrastructure demanded a steep learning curve and collaboration with networking experts.
- Managing evolving user requirements emphasized the importance of maintaining flexibility in system design.
- The integration of multiple external systems highlighted the value of robust APIs and seamless interoperability.
The Impact
The AGPO platform has transformed government procurement processes, fostering inclusivity and economic growth by empowering marginalized groups to access procurement opportunities. Over 350,000 businesses have benefited, and the platform continues to evolve to meet new challenges and opportunities.
Conclusion
Building AGPO was a defining moment in my career. It tested my technical and leadership skills and deepened my understanding of how technology can drive social change. This experience not only enhanced my technical expertise but also reaffirmed my commitment to developing impactful solutions that address real-world problems. As I continue to work on complex projects, I carry forward the lessons learned from AGPO—lessons in resilience, innovation, and the power of collaboration.
