ADB can field consultant for Padma Bridge

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FE Report
The government is going to allow the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to appoint a consultant for preparation of a detailed design of the proposed Padma Bridge setting aside the Public Procurement Regulations (PPR).
The Economic Relations Division (ERD) has recently sent a letter to the Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) under the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) seeking the "PPR waiver" for appointment of the consultant by the Manila-based donor, official sources said.
As a pre-condition of financing for the Bangladesh's mega bridge project, the ADB has started a process for selection of the consultant through an international bidding, the sources added.
Sources in the IMED said as per the PPR and the Public Procurement Act, 2006, only the government can procure goods or services under any public development funds.
Since the ADB will provide loan to the government for conducting the detailed design of the Padma Bridge project, it would be treated as 'public fund' and only the government could appoint the consultant for the project, sources in the IMED said.
"But in the national interest, the authorities can allow a donor for procuring services or goods under the regulation-4 of the PPR. Then it will have to take concurrence of the CPTU and Cabinet Division," a senior IMED official said.
According to the sources, the ADB assured the government earlier to provide US$17.6 million loan as technical assistance to prepare the detailed design for constructing the Tk 101.6175 billion ($1.46 billion) Padma Bridge on condition that it would appoint the consultant itself.