The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (MIRCO) has spent beyond the allowable 15% of a tender amount on renovation contracts earlier this year without approval from the Central Procurement Board. However, MIRCO maintains that the over expenditures were within the limits provided for within Treasury guidelines. The two tenders were for the renovation of the two entrances of the ministry and its boardroom. Both tenders were awarded to Jeovani Properties. The bidder's price was just over N$735 000 for the refurbishment of the front entrance, and N$865 000 for the boardroom. However, the ministry had to top up on both tenders with just under 50%, and with close to 40%, while the guideline amount for over-expenditure without approval, is set between 10 and 15%. The ministry ended up forking out an additional N$338 000 of the tendered N$735 000, for what was termed unforeseen expenditure. On the N$865 000 project for the boardroom, an additional N$300 000 was paid towards unplanned expenditure. The additional expenditure for the boardroom, the ministry says, for electrical, structural and joinery works could not be pre-determined and was therefore excluded from the initial tender amount. According to the chairperson of the Ministry's Procurement Committee, Gerhard Theron, the additional funds paid was in line with the public procurement act. Theron also disputes the over-expenditure figures reflected in documents seen by NBC. The ministry, however, refused to provide authentic documents disproving NBC figures, saying it can only do so if the request comes from an authorised or competent authority charged with investigations, such as the Anti-Corruption Commission or the police. However, he admitted that Treasury was not approached to approve the additional expenditure as the amounts were within the tender board regulations. The head of procurement at the Ministry of Finance, Francois Brandt says although he was unaware of the two tenders, additional expenditure depends on the nature of the work done. Chairperson of the Central Procurement Board, Patrick Swartz told the NBC that exemptions for a tender to be paid beyond 15% of the bidding price can only be approved in writing by the Ministry of Finance. The alternative is for the ministries to restart the tender process, inclusive of the said unforeseeable expenditure as a result of necessary works.