A/RES/54/14 Page 2 I GENERAL COMMENT 1. Recognizes the recent improvements made by the Secretary-General in procurement reform; 2. Notes with concern that some of the provisions of its resolution 52/226 A have not been fully and adequately implemented, and requests the Secretary-General to complete the implementation of all outstanding provisions; 3. Stresses the need for the procurement system to be transparent, open, impartial and cost-effective, based on competitive bidding and fully reflecting the international character of the United Nations; II PROCUREMENT MANUAL 4. Welcomes the publication of the Procurement Manual, and requests the Secretary-General to update it, as appropriate, taking into account the recommendations of the Board of Auditors in paragraphs 99 to 104 of its report3 and including a step-by-step discussion of procedures required for field personnel to perform their duties; III GENERAL PROCUREMENT PROCESS 5. Requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary measures to ensure that the bids received through electronic means are not compromised and to report on this in his next report on procurement reform; 6. Endorses the observations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions regarding the need to take steps to ensure that specifications are not deliberately tailored to predetermine the choice of supplier and that the principle of separation of responsibilities of the requisitioning and approving officers is maintained; 7. Requests the Secretary-General to continue his efforts to ensure wider participation of suppliers from all Member States, taking into account the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations; 8. Also requests the Secretary-General to improve further the competitive bidding process in order to ensure that vendors are granted reasonable time for the submission of bids; 9. Welcomes the increased use by the Secretary-General of modern electronic means of communication to disseminate information regarding requests for proposals, invitations to bid and requests for expression of interest, and requests him to continue to utilize traditional means of communication for such information upon request; 3 Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-third Session, Supplement No. 5 (A/53/5), vol. I. /...