ISLAMABAD: The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has allowed the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training to procure 200,000 refurbished Chromebooks (in different tranches) and to procure them through open competitive bidding but sans PPRA Rules, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.
MD PPRA at a recent meeting stated that Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training in a letter of October 10, 2024 requested PPRA to allow them to purchase refurbished Chromebooks from the open market which are available at low price by observing due procurement process.
The Ministry stated that in order to improve existing education infrastructure of ICT schools/colleges, number of schools/colleges were being renovated both infrastructure and technical aspects to provide quality education as per call of the day. These steps also include upgradation of existing IT Labs in schools/colleges of ICT by providing latest gadgets, ie, laptops, smart screens, Chromebooks during the previous financial year 2023-24.
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It was further argued that new Laptops and Chrome books are a costly solution as new laptops cost more than Rs. 200,000 and new Chromebooks above Rs. 100,000. To provide such IT gadgets to thousands of students in ICT schools/col-leges will unnecessarily heavily burden the national exchequer. On the other hand, refurbished Chrome books are also available in the local market at cheap and affordable rates, i.e. Rs. 5,000 to 15,000, which has been specifically built for educational purposes.
According to sources, clause-18, ie, “Warranty/Defect Liability Period” of General Conditions of the Contract of Standard Bidding Documents for Procurement of Goods notified through regulations of February 25,2022 requires that the goods supplied under the contract are new, unused, of the most recent and current models. This implies that the procuring agency cannot purchase used goods.
Accordingly, Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training has requested to allow them to purchase refurbished Chromebooks from the open market which are available at low price by observing due procurement process.
After detailed deliberations the Board unanimously resolved to grant exemption from General Conditions of the Contract Clause 18 of Standard Bidding Document for Procurement of General Goods under Section 21 of PPRA Ordinance,2002 to Ministry to Federal Education & Professional Training for the procurement of 200,000 refurbished Chromebooks (in different tranches) and to procure them through open competitive bidding.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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