e-tendering from Sept to check hooliganism

In an attempt to check hooliganism and other influences, online tendering system - known as e-tendering - is likely to begin in four government organizations from September this year, reports UNB.
The organizations are Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and Rural Electrification Board (REB).
IMED Secretary Abul Malek today (Tuesday) disclosed the government''s plan while addressing a workshop on public procurement reforms at a city hotel. He said the e-tendering would play a vital role in awarding government contracts to really competitive, eligible and efficient firms.
Malek said that after seeing the success, e-tendering will be later introduced in other government agencies to ensure proper bidding in the government procurement process. Of late, hooliganism has been a common phenomenon in case of tenders for public procurements, particularly at the local level.
Many government officials feel shy in selecting eligible, competitive and efficient firms for government works and services because of different political influences.
Against this backdrop, IMED (Impleme-ntation Monitoring and Evaluation Division) under the Planning Ministry has already appointed GSS America Infotech Ltd, an Indian firm, in April this year to introduce the e-tendering system in four government agencies.
Officials said the firm has already started work in Bangladesh and are now developing necessary software and also installing hardware.
"When the e-tendering is in place, any bidder can submit their tender documents through online using internet facilities from anywhere across the country," said one IMED official. He also mentioned that under the system, no bidder shall come to the relevant offices physically to submit their respective documents. "So, it would check musclemen to control tender submission," he said.
IMED officials said that under a 15- month contract with the Indian firm, the required software will be developed in three months and e-tendering launched in 20 offices of the four target agencies in six months on a pilot basis.
In 15 months of the contract, e-tendering will be rolled out to four target agencies and e-government procurement system will be integrated.
Officials also mentioned that when implemented, e-tendering will reduce time limit in completing the tender procedures electronically. More bidders will be able to participate in the tender process without facing any physical barrier. This will increase competition leading to improvement in the quality of government purchase.