Serious allegations of irregularities and lack of transparency have been made about the tender process for the government’s VAT automation project.
An official complaint was filed with the National Board of Revenue and details sent to the Anti-Corruption Commission on Sunday, by a leading multinational software provider, calling for an official investigation into the NBR’s procurement process.
The complainant claims to have had its bid, which was $1.1m lower than the winning bid, ruled out by the tender evaluation committee, for unexplained reasons. As a company that is larger and has substantially more experience in Bangladesh than the winning company, it claims there is no obvious technical or logistical reason for its disqualification.
The lack of explanation and transparency in this matter is very serious as the inference is drawn that its bid was ruled out in order to favour its competitor.
At the very least the tender process appears to have fallen below expected standards because of the lack of transparency about the reason for one bid being disqualified.
It is important for the government to ensure a complete and open investigation into the allegations being made.
This is important to taxpayers for two reasons. Firstly, to ensure that funds are spent efficiently and transparently. Secondly, and just as important, to protect the country’s reputation with international companies and funders.
The credibility of public procurement processes requires that they meet the highest standards of fairness and transparency and that any alleged discrepancies are looked into fully.
