Changes in Policy in Respect of BSNL Tenders That Bidders Should Know

While BSNL continues to be the largest communication network in the entire country for landlines and also for cell phones despite substantial competition from others in the market like Airtel, Tata, Aircell, Vodafone, and Reliance and many others, BSNL tenders have always formed a major part of the tender news in the country. However, the procurement policies have undergone several important changes from time to time and that one should properly understand before they bid for any such tender floated by BSNL.

Procurement Manual
For floating tenders, BSNL put in place a telecommunication articles procurement manual in 2007 and thereafter have made changes in the same from time to time. Recently a new clause 36 has been incorporated in section II of the manual of 2007 that relates to verification of the genuineness as well as correctness of all the documents and certificates that were issued either by any firm or by any associate before submission of their bids.

Salient Features of Clause 36
Some of the salient features of clause 36 in Section II of the Procurement Manual are as follows-

• The bidder will verify genuineness and correctness of all certificates and documents before submission of bids.
• It includes the experience and performance certificates of bidder or any firm or associate organization.
• Onus of proving the genuineness of the documents will remain with the bidder.
Considerations for Bidders

Some of the considerations that are important for the bidders are –

• Documents submitted as bid on the BSNL tenders must conform to the tender requirements.
• Bidders should remain conversant with tender news learning about all the current and live tenders floated by BSNL.
• If any document is found to be false, fabricated or tampered or it is found that the bidder has manipulated them in some way, the bid can be cancelled and the bidder can be blacklisted which will debar him from all future bidding prospects.
• In addition; the bid security amount would be confiscated by BSNL after disqualifying the bidder from the tender.
• Even when contract is already awarded to the bidding firm, the contract can be cancelled at any time and the entire security money shall remain confiscated.
• In case of cancellation of the bid BSNL would be at liberty to procure any ordered goods and services from any other sources at the risk as well as cost of the defaulting bidder.


Prescribed Process
In order to ensure that documents submitted are authenticated and genuine some processes have been prescribed in respect of BSNL tenders. Documents are to be submitted in a separate cover that conforms to the eligibility part of the bidders. Documents should be fully signed by authorized signatory and the bid security amount and it will be opened simultaneously with the opening of the tender.

When any prospective bidder goes through tender news and opts to bid for any of the latest tenders floated by BSNL, he or she must take care of conforming to the provisions of clause 36 of Section II of the procurement Manual.