ISLAMABAD: Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has exempted import of 0.3 million metric tons of urea from relevant PPRA Rules, besides recommending the Federal Government to allow Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) to negotiate/ match prices of bidders with the most advantageous price offer in case the required quantity cannot be managed by the most advantageous bidder, well informed sources in Commerce Ministry told Business Recorder.
The decision was taken at a meeting of PPRA Board held on September 30, 2022 under the chairmanship of Secretary Finance/ Chairman PPRA.
According to sources, Managing Director (MD) presented the agenda item and informed the Board that Ministry of Industries and Production on September 21, 2022, requested the Authority to grant exemption to TCP for import of 300,000-MT urea, from applicability of Rules 8, 9, 13, 35, 38 & 40.
He further informed the Board that MoI&P has referred the Cabinet Division’s Memorandum of September 19, 2022 wherein it was conveyed that the following decision of the ECC of September 08, 2022 was ratified by the Cabinet on September 13, 2022: “in case of international tender for procurement of urea, as requested by MOIP for exemption from rule 8, 9,13,35,38 and 40 of PPRA Rules, 2004, the same to be solicited from PPRA/ Federal Government”.
Managing Director PPRA invited Secretary industries &Production to further explain the issue, who, in turn, stated that Fertilizer Review Committee (FRC) meeting was held on September 05, 2022, wherein National Fertilizer Development Centre (NFDC), National Food Security and Research Division presented figures which indicated that it was imperative to import up to 300,000 MT urea to meet national needs and address food security issue.
After deliberations, the Board decided to recommend to the Federal Government under section 21 of PPRA Ordinance, 2002 for grant of exemption to TCP from applicability of Rules 8, 9, 13 & 35 of Public Procurement Rules- 2004, for the procurement of 300,000 MT urea, to the extent of relaxing the duration of response time and period between the announcement of evaluation report and award of contract to the successful bidder, subject to the condition that fair and reasonable opportunity shall be provided to ensure the healthy competition amongst the potential bidders and to ensure redressal of grievance of the aggrieved bidders, if any.
Moreover, the procuring Agency shall ensure publication for the invitation to bid in widely circulated Urdu and English newspapers.
The Board also decided to recommend to the Federal Government under section 21 of PPRA Ordinance, 2002 for grant of exemption to TCP from applicability of Rules 38 and 40 of Public Procurement Rules-2004, to the extent of negotiations to match the prices of the other bidders with the price of the most advantageous (i.e. lowest evaluated) bidder, in case required quantity could not be managed by the most advantageous bidder.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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