Procurement policies in force from March 1, 2018

1. Duration within which annual reports on procurement activities are submitted

This is specified in the Circular No. 06/2017/TT-BKHDT elaborating on provision of procurement information and reporting of compliance with procurement procedures with respect to contractor selection. Pursuant to the Circular, the following provisions must be observed:

- Annual report on procurement activities prepared by Ministries, Ministry-level agencies, Governmental bodies, provincial People’s Committees, state economic corporations, etc. must be sent to the Ministry of Planning and Investment before February 1 of the succeeding year within a reporting period;

- Annual reports on procurement activities nationwide combined by the Ministry of Planning and Investment must be submitted to the Prime Minister before April 15 of the succeeding year within a reporting period.

- If the aforesaid reporting dates fall on weekends or public holidays prescribed by labor law, then the reporting date will be the first business day succeeding the day off or public holiday.

Read the Circular No. 06/2017/TT-BKHDT dated December 5, 2017 for more details about reporting information and data.

2. Guidance on handling of any failure of the online procurement system

This is the new content of the Circular No. 04/2017/TT-BKHDT elaborating on selection of contractors through the Electronic National Procurement System. 

The Circular deals with extension of bid closing and opening deadline if the system faces any failure which causes temporary suspension of its operation, including the following provisions: 

- When such failure is corrected and the system resumes its operation during the time from 0h00’ to 12h00’, the new bid closing or opening deadline is 15h00’ on the same day.

- When such failure is corrected and the system resumes its operation during the time from 12h00’ to 24h00’, the new bid closing or opening deadline is 9h00’ on the same day.

- When such failure is corrected and the system resumes its operation on Saturday, Sunday and public or national holidays, the new bid closing or opening deadline is 9h00’ on the first working day following these days.

-Where it is mandatory that the bid closing or opening deadline is extended in the abovementioned cases, e-Bid documents are assessed by the bid closing or opening deadline referred to in e-Invitation for Bid and published on the system.   

The Circular No. 04/2017/TT-BKHDT replaces the Circular No. 07/2016/TT-BKHDT and Chapter III of the Joint Circular No. 07/2015/TTLT-BKHDT-BTC dated September 8, 2015. 

3. Additional cases in which public products and utilities intended for inland waterway maintenance are provided in the method of purchase order placement

This is the highlight of the Circular No. 53/2017/TT-BGTVT prescribing procurement, placement of order of manufacturing and provision of public products and utilities for management and maintenance of inland waterway infrastructure. 

Pursuant to this Circular, the method of purchase order placement will be used to purchase public products and utilities, including:

- Surveying and monitoring notices of actual conditions of navigable routes or channels for boat or vessel traffic;

- Carrying out traffic organization activities and inspecting protection of inland waterway infrastructure;

- Managing, installing and adjusting inland waterway signs on shore or in water;

- Carrying out water level, hydrographic monitoring and watercraft traffic counting activities;

- Regularly maintaining and repairing signs, water transport and other equipment available on the existing inland waterway routes;

- Performing other activities directly relating to regular inland waterway repair and maintenance.
Where it is obligatory that these activities are performed regularly and continuously from the first of January every year and for the purpose of ensuring conformance to safety requirements imposed by regulations in force, the method of purchase order placement may be used during the time period from the date on which the Ministry of Transport gives its state budget allocations to the date on which the bidding and contract signing stage ends; and   

Public products and utilities begin being provided in accordance with regulations in force but time duration is less than 03 months from the date on which the Ministry of Transport gives its state budget allocations.

The Circular No. 53/2017/TT-BGTVT repeals the Circular No. 26/2014/TT-BGTVT dated July 8, 2014.

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