Guidelines To Follow For E-procurement Solution Tendering Process

Before we move on to discuss the procedure to follow for the e-procurement solution tender process, let’s spend some time knowing what is e-procurement?
The e-procurement system enables the Tenderers to download the Tender Schedule free of cost and then submit the bids online through this portal. This trending concept in the tendering world has made tenders available to all within just a few clicks. 

Below are the Guidelines to follow for the e-procurement solution tendering process.

1. Notice inviting tender (NIT) / Tender documents:

The Notice Inviting Tender (also known as NIT) and The Tender documents have to be in the standard formats as applicable to traditional Tenders. These documents will be verified and approved by the officers competent as in the case of conventional Tenders. 

2. Publication of NIT:

The officers capable of publishing tenders will have to host the NIT on the Government of NCT of Delhi e-procurement system website (https://govtprocurement.delhi.gov.in). Along with this, a notification should also be published in any lading newspapers, as per existing rules in the following format.

Name of the Department:  __________________
Name of the work: _____________________
Estimated Cost: Rs. __________________
Date of release of tender through e-procurement solution: ________________
Last date/time for receipt of tenders through e-procurement solution: _______________

You can browse the Government of NCT of Delhi e-procurement system website for more details.

3. Registration of Contractors:

After paying the annual registration charges of Rs. 6000/- + service tax a contractor can register with the e-procurement system of NIC. This payment is done in favor of Delhi e-Governance Society (DeGS). The vendor will require to prepare a banker’s cheque/draft in favor of Delhi e-Governance Society and deposit it at the e-procurement help desk room no.129, Delhi secretariat, IP Estate, Delhi.
Further details on the payment can be obtained from the help desk. 

4. Digital Certificate (DC):

According to the Information Technology Act, it is legally incumbent for all e-procurement processes to have a Digital Signature Certificate. 

A Digital Certificate is a digital signing and encryption process which is required for insurance, opening and evaluation of a bid. You have to pay Rs. 716/- (subject to revision with time) in the form of Demand draft/pay order in favor of “Account officer, NIC Delhi” payable at New Delhi. Once this payment is received the NIC will issue the Digital Certificate to the officers of departments or corporations of GNCTD.

The updated cost of the Digital Certificate with other formalities are available on the Government of NCT of Delhi e-procurement system website.

Please note: If you wish to submit bids electronically contractors/suppliers are required to have a Type-II Digital Certificate. You can obtain your Digital Certificate from any of the certifying agencies. 

5. Formation of Evaluation Committee:

As followed in the traditional tendering process an evaluation committee can be formed to evaluate the bids feasibility and reliability factor. This is not a compulsory procedure and hence is done if required only.

6. Payment of Cost of Tender documents:

Traditionally, there was a nominal cost charged for tender documents. This payment has been waived off in the e-procurement system as there is no physical supply of tender documents.

This is also to encourage the absolute anonymity of the bidders participating in the e-procurement solution system. The bidders can view/download the tender documents, from the Government of NCT of Delhi e-procurement system website.

7. Submission of Bids:

Bidders who desire to participate in e-procurement should submit their technical bids, price bids, etc. in the standard prescribed formats in the tender documents, displayed on the Government of NCT of Delhi e-procurement system website. The bidder will be required to scan all the related documents and upload them in support of their technical bids. 

8. Payment of Bid security (Earnest Money Deposit - EMD):

The EMD shall be in the form of a Demand Draft/Bank Guarantee shall be from a bank, as per guidelines. Xerox copy of the DD/BG has to be scanned and uploaded along with the bid document and the original DD/BG  has to be sent to the concerned departments, so as to reach before the date if closing of the bids. In case your failure to do so, the authorities will not only reject the bid but will also blacklist the bid. 

9. Technical Bids/Price Bids opening:

There will be an online opening of the technical bid by the officer/officers in charge at the time and date specified in the tender documents. All the documents uploaded by the bidder like statements, documents, certificates, DD/BG, etc will be downloaded and verified with the concerned officer for technical evaluation. In case the bidder requires any clarifications, particulars can be addressed online or as per conventional methods of communication to the bidders. The technical bids will be evaluated against the specific parameters/criteria same as followed by the traditional tenders and the technically qualified bidder will be identified. The result of the technical bid evaluation will be displayed on the Government of NCT of Delhi e-procurement system website which can be seen by all the bidders who participated in the tenders. 

At a specific date and time, the price bids of all the technically qualified bidders will be opened online by the officer/officers concerned and the result will be displayed on the Government of NCT of Delhi e-procurement system website which will be visible to all the bidders who participated in the tenders. Till the technical bids are opened, the identity of the bidders who participated in the tenders shall be kept confidential. Similarly, till the price of the bids is opened, the bid officers are also kept confidential. 

10. Processing of Tenders:

The concerned officers/officer will evaluate and process the tenders as per the traditional tendering processes. The decision taken will then be communicated online to the bidder. 

11. Participation of bidders at the time of opening of bids:

There are 2 options for bidders who desire to participate in the opening of a bid:

a. Traditionally, bidders would manually/physically come at the place of opening of bids.
b. Bidders can now visualize the process online with the e-procurement systems in place.

12. Financial Rules for e-procurement:

The e-procurement system is applicable for the purchase of goods, outsourcing of services and execution of work as prescribed in the GFRs/PWD manual. 

13. The signing of the Agreement:

After the contract is awarded, an agreement is signed as done during the traditional tendering process. 

Conclusion:
With more thrust on bringing transparency and efficiency in public Procurement, more and more countries are embracing EProcurement and E-Tendering. TendersOnTime provides you the latest information on eProcurement, RFP, RFQ, E-Tender, EOI and Government Tenders. Your e-procurement tendering process will be hassle-free if you have read and followed this document thoroughly. As the Government of NCT of Delhi e-procurement system website gets updated often with newer, liberal and easier SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures) enabling you to have a trouble-free tendering process we recommend you visit their website often to stay updated.