The government has sought opinions from all ministries to finalise e-government procurement (e-GP) system, which is expected to minimise traditional meddling in bidding processes by musclemen.
The Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) of Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) under the planning ministry has sent a letter to 45 ministries and entities to give input on the draft e-GP system in two weeks.
"Finalisation of e-GP guideline completely depends on how quick we receive feedback on the draft," says a planning ministry high official.
The guideline of the virtual procurement system would be finalised once the stakeholders concerned sent their opinions and suggestions. However, planning ministry insiders say it may take one more year to introduce e-GP fully in purchasing the government's goods and services.
But the e-tendering process would be introduced in some entities in two months.
Initially, CPTU will launch e-GP on a pilot basis in four government agencies including the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and Rural Electrification Board (REB).
In association with the World Bank, CPTU has started the groundwork to implement e-GP under the public procurement reforms project-2 (PPRP-2).
According to a WB study, Bangladesh's annual public procurement expenditure is over $3 billion (Tk 20,512 crore). Such figures can obviously attract politically biased interest groups to loot tender boxes by any means, as development expenditure is expected to grow in coming years.
In Bangladesh, more than 80 percent of the annual development expenditure is spent mainly on government procurement.
The countrywide major development projects are conducted by different agencies starting from the Prime Minister's Office to local government entities.
The CPTU is responsible for monitoring and implementing the law and rules in public procurement. The entity thinks that if the government goes for an online bidding process, no one can exert muscle power.
The idea of a virtual bidding process could also save more than 15 percent of the government's procurement costs, according to the WB study.
The e-GP is the use of information and communication technology (ICT), especially the internet, by governments in conducting their dealings with suppliers for the acquisition of work, goods, and consultancy services required by the public sector.
It would also connect the government body and the national and international contractors on an online platform, which automates the entire government's procurement process by introducing centralised registration of contractors, e-tendering, e-contract management system, e-payment, e-signature and e-security.
In around 50 countries, e-GP has been proved as an effective tool in the fight against corruption, promotion of integration and stimulation of greater productivity not only at government level but also in small and medium enterprises.
The main intention of CPTU is to gradually introduce e-GP in the government's procurement system and ensure that all stakeholders comply with the Public Procurement Act, 2006 and the Public Rules, 2008.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Rejaul Karim Byron
Quelle/Source: The Daily Star, 09.08.2009
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