e-GP saves time, ensures better public service

Upon successful piloting of electronic government procurement (e-GP) in 2011 the government is implementing the online procurement system through a central and national web portal (www.eprocure.gov.bd) since 2012.
However, registration of both procuring entities (PEs) and tenderers started after the Honourable Prime Minister formally inaugurated the National e-GP Portal on June 2 in 2011. Since then the registration has been on the rise. Also the value and volume of tenders invited and executed in e-GP are increasing day by day.
At the moment, e-GP is conducted by 1875 government procuring entities of 96 agencies, including four target ones, under 24 ministries. The target agencies are Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED), Water Development Board (BWDB) and Rural Electrification Board (REB).   
In the immediate-past fiscal year of 2014-2015, a total of 16952 tenders were invited through e-GP.
The number of tenderers registered with the system during the period was 6217 and training on e-GP was provided to both procuring entities and tenderers totaling 830.
To enhance efficiency, transparency, accountability and competition in public procurement Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) of Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division, Ministry of Planning, has been implementing e-GP with support from World Bank under the Public Procurement Reform Project –II.
The e-GP is a modern and integrated online platform where the entire cycle of public procurement can be carried out online. All sectors of the government need to go digital for implementing its vision to build a Digital Bangladesh by 2021.
Therefore, the public procurement on which government spends about TK78 thousand crore a year needs to be digitalized.
The e-GP system is safe and secure. It saves time and transaction cost of procurement and ensures transparency and accountability more than in manual system. The system in South Korea, Portugal, Australia, Chile, Brazil China and many other countries proved very cost-effective. It can ensure better public service delivery and value for public money. The government of Bangladesh plans to implement it across all government entities by 2020.
Under the system   Tenderers can submit their tenders from home. So there is no scope for any obstruction or syndication. Due to its high security and safety, none can have any idea about the source of tenders and the rate quoted in it.
This results in a wider competition, one of the basic principles of public procurement. Wider competition leads to better quality in procurement of goods, works and services.
The procuring entities of the government and tenderers are the prime stakeholders in the process of e-GP.
 However, banks also play a vital role as they facilitate various payments like receipt of tender documents fees, tender security and performance in the system. At the moment 39 commercial banks have become linked to e-GP for payment purpose under MoUs signed with CPTU.
Development partners are also stakeholder of e-GP. Civil society, media and general public are also stakeholders as they can observe the status online.
The e-GP system has been linked to the payment gateway of  Dutch-Bangla Bank and BRAC Bank. Tenderers can submit tender fees online by their debit and credit cards from home. Tenderers are using hash function as e-signature.
Banks can earn from the services they provide to tenderers. At the same time they can serve a national cause of digitalizing public service delivery by the government.
The CPTU, therefore, requests the banks  to connect at least one (or as many as possible) branch at the district headquarters of the concerned  bank to the e-GP system which will enhance the scope for services to tenderers in receiving their tender fees, tender security, performance security etc.
Banks can instruct their officers who work as checker and maker for the e-GP system to make them understand that they are involved in a national cause and that they attach priority and become dedicated to providing service to tenderers. Tenderers usually are in a hurry to perform within the deadline for submission. If they do not get the required services from banks quickly they may get disheartened which may hamper the government effort for digitizing public procurement.
The bank authorities can allow sufficient time to their officers involved in e-GP so that they can deliver service to tenderers timely. They may consider that tenderers are in a hurry and they work with a deadline ahead.
When tenderers take tender security from a bank and want to get it verified by another bank it should not show reluctance to verify and provide info in e-GP system.
Above all, the CPTU requests banks having MoUs with it to mention in all their advertisements that they are linked to e-GP.  The CPTU is providing training to procuring entities and tenderers on e-GP on a continuous basis.  The banks that sign MoU also get training from CPTU on operation in e-GP system. CPTU is expanding the capacity of the e-GP Data Centre.
Four target agencies under the PPRP-II are also providing training to their relevant staff and tenderers. Tenderers may also get training being provided by some private organizations like Dohatec.
The CPTU has established e-GP Help Desk (www.helpdesk.eprocure.gov.bd) at its office that provides 24 hours and seven days’ support to tenderers and others concerned for their registration and tendering.
The e-GP system earns more than its expenditure which is deposited to the government treasury. It is now operated under the PPRP-II supported by the World Bank. After 2017 the government will fully take over its operation and continue e-GP in the country.

The author is the Director General of CPTU, IME Division, Ministry of Planning, National Trainer in Public Procurement and trainer of CIPS, UK. He can be reached [email protected]

e-GP saves time, ensures better public service

Upon successful piloting of electronic government procurement (e-GP) in 2011 the government is implementing the online procurement system through a central and national web portal (www.eprocure.gov.bd) since 2012. However, registration of both procuring entities (PEs) and tenderers started after the Honourable Prime Minister formally inaugurated the National e-GP Portal on June 2 in 2011. Since then the registration has been on the rise. Also the value and volume of tenders invited and executed in e-GP are increasing day by day. At the moment, e-GP is conducted by 1875 government procuring entities of 96 agencies, including four target ones, under 24 ministries. The target agencies are Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED), Water Development Board (BWDB) and Rural Electrification Board (REB). In the immediate-past fiscal year of 2014-2015, a total of 16952 tenders were invited through e-GP. The number of tenderers registered with the system during the period was 6217 and training on e-GP was provided to both procuring entities and tenderers totaling 830. To enhance efficiency, transparency, accountability and competition in public procurement Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) of Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division, Ministry of Planning, has been implementing e-GP with support from World Bank under the Public Procurement Reform Project II. The e-GP is a modern and integrated online platform where the entire cycle of public procurement can be carried out online. All sectors of the government need to go digital for implementing its vision to build a Digital Bangladesh by 2021. Therefore, the public procurement on which government spends about TK78 thousand crore a year needs to be digitalized. The e-GP system is safe and secure. It saves time and transaction cost of procurement and ensures transparency and accountability more than in manual system. The system in South Korea, Portugal, Australia, Chile, Brazil China and many other countries proved very cost-effective. It can ensure better public service delivery and value for public money. The government of Bangladesh plans to implement it across all government entities by 2020. Under the system Tenderers can submit their tenders from home. So there is no scope for any obstruction or syndication. Due to its high security and safety, none can have any idea about the source of tenders and the rate quoted in it. This results in a wider competition, one of the basic principles of public procurement. Wider competition leads to better quality in procurement of goods, works and services. The procuring entities of the government and tenderers are the prime stakeholders in the process of e-GP. However, banks also play a vital role as they facilitate various payments like receipt of tender documents fees, tender security and performance in the system. At the moment 39 commercial banks have become linked to e-GP for payment purpose under MoUs signed with CPTU. Development partners are also stakeholder of e-GP. Civil society, media and general public are also stakeholders as they can observe the status online. The e-GP system has been linked to the payment gateway of Dutch-Bangla Bank and BRAC Bank. Tenderers can submit tender fees online by their debit and credit cards from home. Tenderers are using hash function as e-signature. Banks can earn from the services they provide to tenderers. At the same time they can serve a national cause of digitalizing public service delivery by the government. The CPTU, therefore, requests the banks to connect at least one (or as many as possible) branch at the district headquarters of the concerned bank to the e-GP system which will enhance the scope for services to tenderers in receiving their tender fees, tender security, performance security etc. Banks can instruct their officers who work as checker and maker for the e-GP system to make them understand that they are involved in a national cause and that they attach priority and become dedicated to providing service to tenderers. Tenderers usually are in a hurry to perform within the deadline for submission. If they do not get the required services from banks quickly they may get disheartened which may hamper the government effort for digitizing public procurement. The bank authorities can allow sufficient time to their officers involved in e-GP so that they can deliver service to tenderers timely. They may consider that tenderers are in a hurry and they work with a deadline ahead. When tenderers take tender security from a bank and want to get it verified by another bank it should not show reluctance to verify and provide info in e-GP system. Above all, the CPTU requests banks having MoUs with it to mention in all their advertisements that they are linked to e-GP. The CPTU is providing training to procuring entities and tenderers on e-GP on a continuous basis. The banks that sign MoU also get training from CPTU on operation in e-GP system. CPTU is expanding the capacity of the e-GP Data Centre. Four target agencies under the PPRP-II are also providing training to their relevant staff and tenderers. Tenderers may also get training being provided by some private organizations like Dohatec. The CPTU has established e-GP Help Desk (www.helpdesk.eprocure.gov.bd) at its office that provides 24 hours and seven days support to tenderers and others concerned for their registration and tendering. The e-GP system earns more than its expenditure which is deposited to the government treasury. It is now operated under the PPRP-II supported by the World Bank. After 2017 the government will fully take over its operation and continue e-GP in the country. The author is the Director General of CPTU, IME Division, Ministry of Planning, National Trainer in Public Procurement and trainer of CIPS, UK. He can be reached [email protected]