The Kaduna State Public Procurement Authority (KADPPA) on Friday opened bidding for the design, development and management of single e-procurement portal for the 36 states of the federation.
The Director, Compliance and Capacity Building, KADPPA, Mr Mohammed Suleiman, said at the opening of the bidding process in Kaduna that the measure was to deepen transparency and accountability in procurement process.
Suleiman said that the bid was part of the e-procurement reform project, being financed by the World Bank, in collaboration with the 36 states and the Federal Government.
The reform project is under the World Bank-supported States Fiscal Transparency and Accountability System (SFTAS).
Suleiman, who is also the Project Manager of the e-procurement solution, said that the bidding was being coordinated by KADPPA, on behalf of the 36 state of the federation.
According to him, the efforts is crucial in ensuring transparency and accountability through the use of e-platform that ensures less human interface in the procurement processes.
“The e-procurement solution is the best way to ensure credibility, fairness and accountability, in line with international best practices with a view to curb corruption in procurement activities by reducing human interface.
“With the platform in place, all procurement process will be carried out online from beginning to the end.”
He added that the portal would also house the Open Contracting Data System (ODCS), where all contract activities would be published for procurement agency, regulators and members of the public to access.
He stressed that the e-platform would provide the needed interface between procurement agencies and the general public throughout the pre-bid stage, the bid stage and the post bid stage.
The director explained that after the evaluation of the bids, a winner would be announced and while he would be given the job.
He added that those who failed would also be made public and why they failed.
“After that, the winner will sign an agreement with the Kaduna State Government on behalf of the 36 states and then enter a contract with each of the 36 states, based on agreed terms and specifications.
“He will then design, develop and manage the portal for the next three to four years,” Suleiman explained.
The submission of the bid by interested firms closed at 12 noon, and six firms successfully submitted their bids, while the seventh firm submitted at 1:02 p.m.
The firms were KKC Professional Services, Lagos, with a total bid of 1.98 million dollars, equivalent to N606 million.
The second bid opened was Momenta Qatar at 4.89 million dollars, equivalent to N1.49 billion. However, the cash scheduled was not enclosed in the bid, but amount provided during the bid opening session.
The third firm was CCG Systems, Lagos, at 3.98 million dollars (N1.22 billion); then Project Monitoring Consult, Lagos, N413.89 million; and European Dynamics, UK Ltd. at 1.13 million dollars (N343.32 million)
The sixth firm was Next Tenders, India, at 3.54 million dollars (N1.08 billion), excluding VAT.
The seventh bid from Soft Alliance Resource Ltd, was not open because its submission was late.
This was the first time a bidding process by KADPPA was open to the public with the participation of the media and civil society organisations. (NAN)
 on Friday opened bidding for the design, development and management of single e-procurement portal for the 36 states of the federation.){kind=link}