All tenders pertaining to projects, works and procurement by the government will soon be called for and accepted via the newly created portal www.tenderboard.gov.bh. This is expected to not only speed up the process and make it easier but also increase transparency, efficiency and productivity.
In a landmark step on the way to enhance eGovernance, Deputy Prime Minister HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, whos also Chairman of Supreme committee of Information and Communication Technology, yesterday launched the first phase of the eTendering System of the Tender Board.
During the pilot phase, the eTendering System will enable government entities to prepare the application documents online, upload them onto the website and allow their purchase by private sector suppliers and contractors. The remaining procedures will subsequently be completed as the conventional way for now.
The second phase which covers the full cycle of the process - from submission of offer applications, announcement of tender invitations, shortlisting of the interested bidders, acceptance and secure deposit of bids, culminating in evaluation of the offers and the award of the contract - will also be completed soon. Over 85 ministries and entities are subject to the law regulating government tenders and purchases, and around 2,000 tenders are annually processed, with the total annual value estimated in many millions of dinars.
The Tender Board portal that was also launched during the ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton in Manama yesterday, contains the rules, regulations and tender related data, in addition to news and activities. The portal would also feature live broadcast of the opening of tenders during the weekly meetings held every Thursday and includes additional features such as smartphone interaction interfaces and an advanced search engine. The eContent was revised to meet the public institutions websites standards set by the United Nations.
On the occasion, Housing Minister and Tender Board chairman Basim bin Yacob Alhamer said, the eTendering system will improve government performance and facilitate procedures related to government tenders and purchases. The system would be governed by the Tender Law and be under the supervision of the Tender Board, with a view to engaging the private sector in a more efficient way.
The minister further said, the system has proved to be effective in reducing administrative costs, processing time and curtail procedural delays as storage, retrieval, tracking and securing of tender documents as well as bids would be much easier and faster. Additionally, it would increase the level of quality and transparency in the decision-making process, thus reducing complaints and disputes.
Through ease of access and higher credibility, the system would encourage more participation. It would also help to automate the work-flow, added Mr. Alhamer. The minister also declared that the board has already started utilising iPad applications and reducing paperwork, which resulted in saving of efforts and costs, in addition to enhancing the boards productivity.
eGovernment Authority Chief Executive Officer & Tender Board Member Mohammed Al Qaed said the initiative is a key step on the road to a robust, integrated tendering system covering the full cycle of the tendering process, starting from setting of specifications, evaluation, award of contract and settlement of financial transactions. Mr. Al Qaed also pointed out that an online tendering system for government tenders would also promote the position of the Kingdom as a hub for eCommerce.
In a related development, Tamkeen, the labour fund authority, announced the extension of its e-Tendering Training Programme with the aim of training an additional 550 business owners in the fundamentals of e-Tendering. The programme, done in cooperation with the Tender Board, is part of Tamkeens objective of delivering accessible business support services to enhance the productivity and growth of enterprises and individuals in Bahrain. The BD42,000 programme provides free training to business owners to become adept at using the Tender Boards e-procurement system, including how to register, receive notifications, submit bids, and tracking tenders through the e-Tendering Portal.
Tamkeen's Chief Executive Mahmood Al Kooheji who was also present on the occasion said: The e-tendering platform is not only transparent, but it also levels the playing field amongst businesses to compete for open tenders. By demystifying the process behind it, we are enabling more business owners, particularly those of SMEs, to use such platforms and pursue previously untapped growth opportunities which expand their business. As of December 2011, 450 business owners had already benefited from the programme, and after this extension the total number of beneficiaries will be 1,000. The inauguration ceremony was attended by their Ministers and Undersecretaries, Tender Board and eGA management executives, along with representatives of companies and purchasing authorities and institutions, who will take part in the pilot phase of the service.
