In this light, the concept of e-procurement is vital in developing e-governance, which, in turn, enhances good governance. E-procurement has gained fresh currency in Nepal after the IT Professional Forum (ITPF) handed over to the government a procurement portal entitled www.bolpatra.com.np. The High Level Commission for Information Technology (HLCIT) has pledged to apply it in the government as well as in the public sector. The Nepalese government has realised the importance of e-procurement in which all government agencies must conduct all of their buying and selling electronically. This particular IT phenomenon has already been implemented in many other countries.
The HLCIT was formed under the chairmanship of the prime minister some years ago with the objective of developing ICT and making it an important tool for the overall development process. The portal aims at informing a large segment of the people about the government's procurement, which includes a wide range of fiscal activities such as calling tenders for constructing building and supplying goods and services at most competitive prices. As the government and private enterprises conduct on-line business, this should improve the productivity of the employees and enhance the image of their enterprises.
Both the suppliers and recipients will benefit from it as it minimises the transaction costs by standardising and streamlining the procurement process. It promotes competition among suppliers while maintaining the reliability of the sources supplying the goods or services.
It also meets the government's requirement for purchasing goods and services such as direct purchase, sealed quotation and tender (single and double envelopes), auction (bol kabol) and reverse auction (ghataghat). More importantly, this dot com offers equal opportunity for participation to all potential suppliers, ensures the people's right to information, makes effective use of human resources and improves the accounting and auditing capability of the public expenditure. Till now, over 1,000 agencies have registered with the bolpatra.com and shown their interest in conducting their business electronically. Funded by the Asia Foundation, the portal has been developed by the ITPF. To assist clients at different levels, it has been prepared in both the Nepali and English languages. The ITPF has been pasting public tender notices printed in the major dailies in the portal.
However, it is not that easy to put this procurement website fully into practice as the government has yet to build sufficient physical and legal infrastructure in the ICT sector. In 2000, it introduced the IT Policy with an ambitious plan of putting Nepal in the global ICT map within five years. It has given priority to the IT industry as the key instrument in fighting poverty, generating employment and revenue. To implement the rosy provisions enshrined in the policy documents, the Electronic Transaction and Digital Signature Act (ETDSA), 2061 was also promulgated. It has recognised digital signatures and all transactions carried out trough electronic means, laying the foundation for a paperless office where the people carry out business from screen to screen or by surfing the Net.
It recognises as being legal all information, written documents, records or others printed or typed materials kept as electronic records or transacted via electronic means. Likewise, it offers legal status to digital signatures made on any information, written documents and records transacted via electronic means. Under a provision, the Office of Controller is responsible for providing codes (key) to individuals, offices or companies. Those who want to conduct e-transactions must first register with the Controller's Office for certification authority. The government recently appointed the Office of Controller. To implement the policy and cyber law, the government has installed computers in different offices and connected them to websites, e-mails and Internet facilities. But the old bureaucracy still addicted to paperwork finds it a Herculean task to adopt new technology. There is a need to change the mindset if a digital administration is to be created, which is a prerequisite for implementing e-procurement.
Currently the government conducts its procurement activities through the Fiscal Administrative Regulations known as 'Arthika Prasashan Niyamavali' . But it lacks coherence as different government organisations have their own regulations for the purpose. Likewise, the government has drafted the Public Procurement Act and Regulations, which has envisaged e-procurement.
Likewise, there is an urgency to establish a payment gateway and automated clearance house. The HLICT, which has been assigned to implement the portal, should make arrangements for the required technology, infrastructure, bandwidth and human resources to operate and manage the portal round the year. Likewise, it should keep the source code in safe custody and strictly maintain its confidentiality, trust and security. Awareness Creating awareness about the portal among the prospective providers and sellers is an important task. The government should train its procurement officers and make the portal mandatory for all of its departments and agencies while purchasing goods, services and technology. The government needs to demonstrate courage to implement the portal since it is linked to financial transactions.
News of corruption and fiscal irregularities often comes to the fore while the government and public enterprises award tenders to contractors and suppliers. If such transactions are carried out via electronic means, it will definitely do away with such cases of corruption and help maintain fiscal discipline, thereby bolstering the government's efforts to establish a corruption-free and knowledge-based society.
Autor: Ritu Raj Subedi
Quelle: The Rising Nepal, 24.03.2006
