The use of Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) System will be made compulsory from January next year. Launched yesterday by the Prime Minister, the government will, in the next six months, pilot the system to see its efficacy.
The Electronic Government Procurement System or simply e-GP is a web based portal maintaining complete and up-to-date public procurement activities of all public agencies. It also provides tender opportunities to potential bidders from within and outside the country.
During the launch of the system, Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay said e-procurement has no excuse to fail.
“If it fails, it is because of the government because we are the largest procurer in the country,” said Lyonchhen. “We have about 4200 contractors, 15,000 suppliers, 380 consultancies. They should be eager to use e-GP. The fact that we are launching should come as good news to them,” added the Prime Minister.
From July, the Prime Minister said the system will be piloted until January 2018 when it will be made compulsory. During the pilot phase, the Prime Minister said every effort will be made to train all the users especially in the private sector to feel comfortable with the system.
“This cannot be voluntary. If e-GP is voluntary, it will not take off,” said Lyonchhen. “So we pilot for 6 months during which we debug any problems,” he added.
“We improve the system and make it robust and ensure security. We will incorporate e-payment and ensure digital signature. We train users in the private sector and by January first of 2018 , let all of us- contractors, suppliers , consultants and the government – hold hands and launch it a 100 per cent,” said the Prime Minister.
He added the e-procurement will help in improving public procurement system through most transparent, accountable and efficient manner. The government spends 70 per cent of annual budget on procurement of works and services.
The new system was developed by a Bangladeshi firm in partnership with local IT firm. The Nu11m system was supported by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
