New NPTAB Considering Electronic Submissions For Bidders

By Shaquille Bourne

DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, September 29, 2020

The newly installed National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) is positioning itself to facilitate electronic submissions of bids as Guyana prepares to undertake major transformative projects.

Chairman, Mr. Tarachand Balgobin said this option should encourage wider participation in the process.

“Public procurement is not to eliminate people. It is to encourage people to participate in the procurement process, to create competition and therefore create opportunities for value for money,” he said at the Board commissioning ceremony today.

Mr. Balgobin said once the proposal is greenlighted it would allow bids to be submitted utilising PDF format or by flash drive.

“I have already spoken with our IT department to create a platform within our architecture where these documents cannot be compromised,” Mr. Balgobin said.

On receipt of the electronic submissions, NPTAB will cross-reference those with the official hardcopy submissions. Additionally, the evaluators will be provided with the electronic submissions, which they will only be able to access pending the completion of their work.

“There is no need to send another document to them, which is what we are doing now… The evaluation that they do will be resubmitted to us in an electronic form,” the Chairman explained.

Mr. Balgobin also committed to ensuring that the Board meets its mandate.