11 PSI firms submit EoI for contract
Saturday, 30 October 2010
Eleven firms have submitted expression of interest (EoI) to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) for securing contracts for pre-shipment inspection, officials said.
The PSI companies that submitted EoIs include Intertake Testing Services (ITS), SGS, Bureau Veritas (BIVAC), OMIC, Cotecna, Baltic Control, TUV Rheinland, Ravi Energie Inc and Engineering Bureau International, reports UNB. The last day for submission was Thursday.
NBR officials said that PSI companies will be appointed based over the next two years based on their experiences, past record and reputation.
Four companies-ITS, BIVAC, SGS and OMIC have been inspecting the pre-shipment under five blocks.
Cotecna was also appointed to do the PSI activities, but on March 19, 2008 NBR cancelled the certificate of M/S Cotecna Inspection SA for serious irregularities.
The revenue board has already formed a five-member recruiting committee to appoint the PSI agencies.
Headed by NBR member Hossain Ahmed, the committee also inducted representatives from Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) and other government agencies.
Two existing PSI contracts with at least two other countries, bar on black-listed firms and two performance certificates are among the qualifications for a PSI company.
A Committee member said they will go by the regulation. There is no scope to select a company which is black listed or lacks required experiences.
"We will sit soon to short-list the companies already that have already applied their EoIs. There is no scope for a company which was once black listed by the NBR or by any agency of the government or lacks required criteria as set in the PSI regulation," the member told UNB.
He said that the request for proposal will be sought from the companies soon after their EoIs are found okay.
The PSI scheme was introduced in the country in 2001 as the customs department lacked expertise in valuation and certification in clearing imported goods.
One of the principal objectives of the introduction of the PSI system was to strengthen the capacity of the workforce in the customs department through training from PSI agencies, and that would ultimately replace them by taking up the responsibility of conducting such activities.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith in his budget speech for the current fiscal year declared to appoint the PSI companies further as the customs department is yet to attain required efficiency to replace the PSI related activities.
Country's major chamber bodies including the apex trade body have long been demanding the continuation of PSI scheme until the customs department attains full capacity to replace PSI.
The current tenure of PSI will expire on December 31, this year. The new recruitment will be made for the next two years.
The reappointment took place as the Customs was not ready for taking over the place of the PSI companies due to full-scale implementation of automation system and shortage of manpower.
The PSI companies that submitted EoIs include Intertake Testing Services (ITS), SGS, Bureau Veritas (BIVAC), OMIC, Cotecna, Baltic Control, TUV Rheinland, Ravi Energie Inc and Engineering Bureau International, reports UNB. The last day for submission was Thursday.
NBR officials said that PSI companies will be appointed based over the next two years based on their experiences, past record and reputation.
Four companies-ITS, BIVAC, SGS and OMIC have been inspecting the pre-shipment under five blocks.
Cotecna was also appointed to do the PSI activities, but on March 19, 2008 NBR cancelled the certificate of M/S Cotecna Inspection SA for serious irregularities.
The revenue board has already formed a five-member recruiting committee to appoint the PSI agencies.
Headed by NBR member Hossain Ahmed, the committee also inducted representatives from Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) and other government agencies.
Two existing PSI contracts with at least two other countries, bar on black-listed firms and two performance certificates are among the qualifications for a PSI company.
A Committee member said they will go by the regulation. There is no scope to select a company which is black listed or lacks required experiences.
"We will sit soon to short-list the companies already that have already applied their EoIs. There is no scope for a company which was once black listed by the NBR or by any agency of the government or lacks required criteria as set in the PSI regulation," the member told UNB.
He said that the request for proposal will be sought from the companies soon after their EoIs are found okay.
The PSI scheme was introduced in the country in 2001 as the customs department lacked expertise in valuation and certification in clearing imported goods.
One of the principal objectives of the introduction of the PSI system was to strengthen the capacity of the workforce in the customs department through training from PSI agencies, and that would ultimately replace them by taking up the responsibility of conducting such activities.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith in his budget speech for the current fiscal year declared to appoint the PSI companies further as the customs department is yet to attain required efficiency to replace the PSI related activities.
Country's major chamber bodies including the apex trade body have long been demanding the continuation of PSI scheme until the customs department attains full capacity to replace PSI.
The current tenure of PSI will expire on December 31, this year. The new recruitment will be made for the next two years.
The reappointment took place as the Customs was not ready for taking over the place of the PSI companies due to full-scale implementation of automation system and shortage of manpower.