The Deputy Prime Minister also launched the Tender Board portal www.tenderboard.gov.bh.
Shaikh Mohammed told the Bahrain News Agency (BNA), “This is stage one. The next step we believe is to move forward improving and developing because we believe that this is the course that we should follow in the 21st century.
”Communication is the most important venue for progress, he said, especially in the financial and administrative issues. “So we are concentrating on this sector because we believe that this is the basis for our development,” added Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak.
Phase I also called the pilot phase will enable governmental entities to purchase and prepare application documents, submit bids and allow private sector suppliers and contractors to participate, said a government release.
Abdul Aziz Abbas Al Gassab, Secretary General of the Tender Board, told the BNA, the second phase of the e-tendering is to be after 6 months. “In phase I, preparing which cost us BD300,000, we are expecting seven major ministries to participate and as we go along, we will address any teething problems that exist,” said the secretary general.
He said that that eTendering process is already of benefit to those who can access the tendering site – be they from Bahrain or any part of the world. Asked about the security of this project, he assured that security is carried out in many different stages. “The system itself if secured.
There already is a security plan on it and even a recovery plan. It is checked by international standards, making it doubly secure. Any organisation participating can do so realising it is very secure with a number provided to them. Even the participant will not be able to open the bid after it has been closed and the closing date issued. The bids cannot be opened by anybody till the official date of opening of the bids.”
The opening and scrutiny of each bid, though, can be witnessed by the participants online. “Even now one can, with the bids being opened on Thursdays. It is a live opening of all bids, over the internet. All participants of a tender can view the opening and the bids that were placed on a project.
The system also has an archival system which will help the bidders compare prices as they participate in future tenders,” added the secretary general.
Asked about the bodies involved in this venture, he said the Central Informatics Organisation (CIO), Tamkeen, e-Government authority and a host who did the systems to start with were involved.
The second phase will cover the full cycle of the eTendering process – from submitting applications of offers, announcing tender invitations for review of the willing bidders to accepting and depositing offers submitted by bidders with confidentiality and protection.
This is later followed by opening tenders in thorough transparency and clear evaluation of the offers and finally announcing the awarded company, said the release.
The site launched today would give information on the rules, regulations and tender related data in addition to the news and activities.
The portal also provides features such as interacting with smartphones and developing advanced search features. The eContent was revised to meet the standards of the public institutions’ websites set by the United Nations.
Chairman of the Tender Board and Minister of Housing Bassam bin Yacoub Al Hamer said, “The board is keen on implementing the eTendering system which will improve the government performance and facilitate procedures related to the government tenders and purchases. The eTendering process involves all government tenders transactions and purchases as governed by the Tender Law. The system will be under the supervision of the Tender Board and we will seek to engage the private sector in a more efficieint way.
He said that it increases the level of quality and transparency in the decision-making process and decrease the number of complaints.
It also helps to automate the work-flow through the process of pre-qualification, opening, evaluation and awarding.
He pointed out that over 85 ministries and entities are subject to the provision of the law regulating government tenders and purchases and that around2,000 tenders are annually processed.
The minister also added that the board has already started utilizing the iPad application and reducing paper work.
The Tender Board also signed a memorandum of understanding with Tamkeen to organisae a training program for suppliers and contractors in the private sector to help them use the system to perform all types of transactions related to government tenders and purchases.
Chief Executive Officer of Tamkeen, Mahmood Hashem Al Kooheji, called the effort “One of our initiatives to improve the standard of businesses in Bahrain.” E-tendering will make it much easier for businesses in Bahrain and also those in the private sector to bid for government projects.
It will help in simplifying the tendering process, he added. The eTendering process narrows the gap between the Tender Board and the Bahrain businesses. This is expected to help Bahraini businesses win more tenders.
They said it is now G2G, but I think it is to be G2B, where participating in the tenders at home will also encourage them to look at international bidding.
“We think this is an avenue being opened for Bahraini businesses to upgrade their skills at international tendering.
About foreign companies coming in, I think competition is always good since it allows Bahraini companies to compete and enhance their services at competitive prices. I see e-tendering as a process that helps the Bahraini market to enter the international segments.
The SMEs should really go into the e-tendering process when there is an opportunity,” he added.
Asked about the cost to Tamkeen, he said, “We trained 1,000 bahraini businessmen to make them e-savvy.
We trained the staff of these organisatons to access the e-tender site and use it.
Our aim is to focus on the Bahraini private sector to help them use this system.”
The Chairman of the Tender Board said move put Bahrain among advanced countries for paying importance to democracy, transparency, justice as well as enhancing political and social reforms launched by His Majesty the King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, with the support of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Bahrain Defence Forces Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
The e-tendering would lay the foundations for government tenders based on equal opportunities, transparency and achieving further economic effectiveness, he added.
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Quelle/Source: Bahrain News Agency, 15.02.2012
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