The government on Wednesday approved a proposal to cut bid submission time in case its international purchase through open tender.
The cabinet committee on economic affairs gave go ahead with the proposal and asked the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) to bring necessary changes in the public procurement rules (PPR).
Presently, this provision is acceptable only in case of domestic purchase on state emergency.
The change is required to import rice and wheat from the international market quickly to meet the emergency needs of the country.
After floating an international tender, under the present provision, over 40 days have to be given to the possible bidders for submission of their documents.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, who chaired the meeting, told newsmen the prices of some essential commodities like rice, onion and edible oil fluctuate frequently in the international market.
As a result, no bidder agrees to wait for a long time to supply goods fearing uncertainty, he said.
“So, we want to keep maximum one week time in this case for completion of the procurement procedure,” said Mr. Kamal.
In the PPR, he said, there is a provision to reduce bidding time, as required, only in case of local purchase on emergency need. But there is no mention about it in case of international procurement.
“If we provide long time, we won’t get competitive price, and international bidders won’t participate. So, we will lower the bid processing time,” the minister added.
Later on the day, the cabinet committee on government purchase, also chaired by Mr. Kamal, at its meeting approved appointment of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro as a consultant under a project titled ‘Developing Reading Habit Programme Implementation Management Services’.
The coffer will be charged Tk 827 million for a 24-month consultancy service.
The committee also approved procurement of 264-kilometre submarine cable from BRB Cable Industries Ltd at a cost of Tk 1.07 billion.
