DOTr PRESS RELEASE

18 November 2017

 – DOTr Requires Bidders to Use E-Mail in Procurement Process

Clark City, Pampanga

In line with the Duterte Administration’s thrust to make use of technology in enhancing and promoting efficiency and transparency through “paperless transactions”, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will now require its procurement office, as well as all prospective bidders, to utilize secured online platforms in all processes concerning procurement.

Other than the submission of bids, pre-bidding, opening of bids, and conduct of post qualification, all remaining procurement processes will now use and be processed online.

Through Department Order No. 2017-017, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said that the move is to facilitate and automate the processes of procurement under the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Act.

“To encourage participation of bidders, it is imperative that the bidding process of the Department be made adaptable to the advances in modern technology,” Secretary Tugade said in the same order.

The transportation head noted that electronic filing of procurement-related documents in the bidding process “will foster a fast, free, convenient and secure bidding procedure.”

Under the Order, all written communications and correspondences in procurement activities shall be coursed through the official email account that would be set-up by DOTr’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Secretariat.

During the Pre-Bid Conference, prospective bidders are required to register their respective business email addresses or that of their authorized representatives where procurement-related communications and correspondences maybe served or received.

Among those business correspondences include Requests for Clarification, Request for the Signing of Contract and Request to Submit Performance Bond.

Notices such as BAC Meetings, Single/Lowest Calculated Bidder, Submission of Post-Qualification Documents, and Award of Contract and Notice to Proceed shall also be coursed through the BAC email.

The Procurement Service, through the BAC Secretariat and Procurement divisions, will monitor the strict implementation of the guidelines.

However, all procurement activities that have started prior to the issuance of the guidelines shall continue with the manual filing procedure.