Major development fund spenders to come under first phase of EGP
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Nazmul Ahsan
The first phase of electronic government procurement (EGP) system planned to rein in corruption and irregularities in procurement will soon be operationalised.
The system also aims at establishing transparency in the bidding process, official sources said.
The EGP would be introduced in 290 offices under the Roads and Highways (RHD), Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and Rural Electrification Board (REB), in its initial phase.
Planning Minister A K Khandakar will officially inaugurate the EGP on February 10, a source in the Planning Ministry said.
Under the first phase, the offices concerned will post their annual procurement plans, tender notices, evaluation results, details of pre-qualification, results of tendering and the names of the qualified and disqualified bidders on their respective web addresses.
The Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) under the Planning Ministry will monitor all procurement related activities of 290 offices from February 11, sources said.
Meanwhile, the supply of computer, networking and establishment of the data centres at the head quarters of 290 offices have been completed.
"The first phase of EGP is going to start from February 10," a top official in the CPTU told the FE.
"We have a plan to bring all kinds of procurement, be it goods or services, of government offices under the EGP by the end of next year."
The procurement of all goods and services in the public sector will have to be done through a planned system, he said further.
The value of annual procurement of goods and services by the Roads and Highways, LGED, BWDB and REB is estimated at above Tk 100 billion, sources said. In Bangladesh, more than 80 percent of the annual development expenditure is spent mainly on government procurement of goods and services.
According to the draft guidelines of the EGP, the secrecy of quoted price would be strictly maintained, tendering and evaluation will be done electronically and e-signature has been allowed.
The security and dispute resolution will be done electronically. The participating bidders for supplying goods, constructing works or providing services will be informed of procurement and results of the bidding electronically, the guidelines added.
The payment for the procurement will also be made electronically while suppliers would also be able pay their performance guarantee money electronically, officials concerned said.
The draft guidelines have ensured subscriber services, while record storage system has also been included with the guidelines to protect the legitimate interest of suppliers, sources said.
When asked, a high official in the planning Ministry said the e-tendering under the EGP will ensure all tendering opportunities and award outcomes on a single internet site, open access for all bidding documents and opportunity for customised options
"We would be able to identify our faults under the EGP, if any, after introducing the first phase of the modern system of procurement on February 10," a high CPTU official told the FE on Saturday.
The first phase of electronic government procurement (EGP) system planned to rein in corruption and irregularities in procurement will soon be operationalised.
The system also aims at establishing transparency in the bidding process, official sources said.
The EGP would be introduced in 290 offices under the Roads and Highways (RHD), Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and Rural Electrification Board (REB), in its initial phase.
Planning Minister A K Khandakar will officially inaugurate the EGP on February 10, a source in the Planning Ministry said.
Under the first phase, the offices concerned will post their annual procurement plans, tender notices, evaluation results, details of pre-qualification, results of tendering and the names of the qualified and disqualified bidders on their respective web addresses.
The Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) under the Planning Ministry will monitor all procurement related activities of 290 offices from February 11, sources said.
Meanwhile, the supply of computer, networking and establishment of the data centres at the head quarters of 290 offices have been completed.
"The first phase of EGP is going to start from February 10," a top official in the CPTU told the FE.
"We have a plan to bring all kinds of procurement, be it goods or services, of government offices under the EGP by the end of next year."
The procurement of all goods and services in the public sector will have to be done through a planned system, he said further.
The value of annual procurement of goods and services by the Roads and Highways, LGED, BWDB and REB is estimated at above Tk 100 billion, sources said. In Bangladesh, more than 80 percent of the annual development expenditure is spent mainly on government procurement of goods and services.
According to the draft guidelines of the EGP, the secrecy of quoted price would be strictly maintained, tendering and evaluation will be done electronically and e-signature has been allowed.
The security and dispute resolution will be done electronically. The participating bidders for supplying goods, constructing works or providing services will be informed of procurement and results of the bidding electronically, the guidelines added.
The payment for the procurement will also be made electronically while suppliers would also be able pay their performance guarantee money electronically, officials concerned said.
The draft guidelines have ensured subscriber services, while record storage system has also been included with the guidelines to protect the legitimate interest of suppliers, sources said.
When asked, a high official in the planning Ministry said the e-tendering under the EGP will ensure all tendering opportunities and award outcomes on a single internet site, open access for all bidding documents and opportunity for customised options
"We would be able to identify our faults under the EGP, if any, after introducing the first phase of the modern system of procurement on February 10," a high CPTU official told the FE on Saturday.