e-PG4 International Goods Participation Guideline

01Is This Tender for You?

e-PG4 is BPPA's Standard e-Tender Document for international goods tenders of any value under the Open Tendering Method. You will see "e-PG4" as the STD in the e-GP notice.

Nature

Goods and related services

Competition

International, any value

Currency

Taka plus one foreign currency

Domestic preference

15% for qualifying local goods

Performance security

10% of contract price

Award to

Lowest evaluated responsive

Need the equipment installed, tested and commissioned as a working facility by one contractor? That is a turnkey tender under e-PG5A (International).

02Eligibility

• Open to tenderers from all countries except any the TDS excludes. Goods and services must not originate from an excluded country; origin is where goods were produced or substantially transformed, not your nationality.
• You need legal capacity to sign, enrolment in a relevant professional or trade organisation (in Bangladesh, or in your country of origin for a foreign tenderer, or a competency certificate), and paid taxes and social security.
• Not suspended or debarred for corrupt, fraudulent, collusive, coercive or obstructive practices or for fundamental breach, and not restricted by any development partner in Bangladesh.
• Not insolvent, in receivership, bankrupt or barred from business.
• No link to a consultant who prepared the design or specifications, and no conflict of interest with another tenderer.
• Government-owned enterprises may tender only if legally and financially autonomous and not dependent on the PE.
• If awarded, you disclose beneficial ownership in Form e-PG4-2 and consent to its publication.

One tender only per item or lot. Submitting more than one gets all your tenders rejected. Alternative tenders are not allowed in e-GP.

03Qualification Criteria

These are pass/fail. The TDS sets the figures; e-PG4 recommends these ranges.

04Subcontracting

• You may subcontract up to the percentage in the TDS, never more than 30% of the goods value, naming each item and subcontractor in Form e-PG4-3.
• Subcontractors must meet the eligibility rules. If one is ineligible, that portion is disallowed and the PE may ask for a substitute.
• A subcontractor may appear in several tenders, but only as a subcontractor. Bringing one in after signing is a ground for termination.

05Site Visit, Questions and Addenda

• If the goods need installation, commissioning or networking, you are encouraged to visit the site at your own cost and risk. Tell the PE in advance so it can arrange access.
• Ask for clarification through e-GP before the date in the IFT. The PE answers within 5 working days.
• A pre-tender meeting, if any, is online in e-GP; minutes go to every buyer of the document. Missing it does not disqualify you.
• Only a numbered, dated Addendum changes the document. If one arrives with less than one-third of the preparation time left, the deadline is extended by at least 3 working days.

06Documents to Upload

Tenders are in English; supporting documents in other languages need an accurate English or Bangla translation of the relevant parts, at your cost.

07Choose Your Price Schedule

For already-imported goods (Form 4C) Quote the full price including the duties you paid, then show the duties and taxes separately and the price net of them. Include any agent mark-up and local costs, and keep the customs papers ready: the duties you claim must be supported by documents.

08Price, Currency and INCOTERMs

• Quote unit rates for every item in figures and words, excluding discounts. Each item must cover its full quantity and a lot tender 100% of its items; leaving out an item worth more than 50% of the lot value makes the tender non-responsive.
• Quote costs incurred in Bangladesh in Taka and costs outside Bangladesh in the one foreign currency named in the TDS (USD, GBP, EUR or JPY). Local manufacturers may combine both.
• Include taxes, duties, VAT and levies as of 28 days before the deadline. In evaluation, your VAT and import duties are left out of the comparison, but you are paid them under the contract.
• You may use carriers and insurers from any eligible country.
• Prices are fixed. If a tax rate changes by law, the price is adjusted (with HOPE's approval) so your net amount is unaffected.
• Offer any unconditional discount, and how it applies, in the Discount Form.
• e-GP does not correct arithmetic errors, so check every figure. Keep item prices balanced, or the TEC can raise your performance security up to 25%.

The price ceiling: a tender more than 10% above the official cost estimate is rejected. e-PG4 has no SLT lower limit.

09Tender Security

• The amount is a rounded fixed sum in the TDS, in Taka or the US dollar equivalent, not more than 3% of the estimate.
• Arrange it through an e-GP registered bank, or provide a bank draft, pay order or an irrevocable unconditional bank guarantee in Form e-PG4-7 from a scheduled bank of Bangladesh.
• It must stay valid at least 28 days beyond tender validity. A tender without a valid security is non-responsive.
• Return: non-responsive tenderers after the evaluation report is approved; at once if you decline a validity extension; the three lowest after the winner signs.

Your security can be forfeited if you:

• Fail to furnish the performance security, or furnish one that is not authentic.
• Refuse or fail to sign the contract.
• Engage in corrupt, fraudulent, collusive, coercive or obstructive practice.

10Technical Compliance and Submission

• Prove conformity with literature, drawings and data: a detailed description of essential characteristics and an item-by-item commentary on the specifications. Goods must be new, unused and of current models.
• Do not add information the document did not ask for; it is not considered.

1. Pay the document fee through an e-GP member bank by the day before the deadline, then download the e-TD.
2. Check every file is virus-free, readable and complete.
3. Allow time for large uploads; late submission is impossible.
4. Final-submit. Your e-signature authenticates the tender and you receive a confirmation e-mail.
5. Modify, substitute or withdraw only before the deadline.

Keep the tender valid for the TDS period (normally 60 to 150 days). The PE may ask, at most twice, to extend validity; you may refuse and get your security back, but your tender drops out.

11How You Are Evaluated

1. Preliminary: all forms signed, priced schedule and a valid tender security; qualification documents checked for completeness and authenticity.
2. Technical: origin declarations, conformity (Form e-PG4-5) and each qualification criterion.
3. Financial: the 10% ceiling, conversion to Taka at Bangladesh Bank's selling rate on the opening date, economic factors, discounts and domestic preference.
4. Post-qualification: documents verified; any premises visit is a visual inspection only, with no discussion of your tender.

• Clarifications come through e-GP with at least 3 working days to reply. Your price and substance cannot change.
• Do not contact the PE from opening until the NOA except to answer a clarification or complain. Evaluation information is confidential.
• No negotiations. Ties go to collusion checks, then past performance, then quality; never a lottery.

12Domestic Preference

Unless the TDS says it "shall not" apply, Group A tenders (goods made in Bangladesh with more than 30% local labour, materials and components in the EXW price, from a facility already making such goods) get a 15% margin.

• The lowest tender in each group is compared. If it is from Group A, Group A wins.
• If it is from Group B, 15% of each Group B tender's CIF/CIP price is added for comparison only, and the lowest result wins.

Example A local manufacturer bids Tk. 1.10 crore. An importer bids Tk. 1.00 crore, with a CIF price of Tk. 0.90 crore. The importer's comparison price becomes 1.00 + 0.135 = Tk. 1.135 crore, so the local manufacturer wins and is paid its own Tk. 1.10 crore.

13Award and Contract Signing

1. The NOA (Form e-PG4-9) arrives within 3 working days of approval and binds you. Quantities may change by up to 20% at your unit prices.
2. Furnish the 10% performance security in the contract currencies. A bank guarantee must use Form e-PG4-11 and come from an internationally reputable bank with a correspondent bank in Bangladesh. It must stay valid 28 days beyond completion, extended if the warranty is extended.
3. Sign the Contract Agreement (Form e-PG4-10) on time. Failing either step forfeits your tender security.
4. The PE publishes the contract and, above Tk. 10 lakh, your beneficial ownership details.

The ITT text still mentions 28 days for the performance security, but the TDS bands above apply and the NOA states your exact deadline. Line up your bank, and its Bangladesh correspondent, before the award.

14Shipping, Payment and Warranty

Advance (if offered)

Up to 10%, against Form e-PG4-12

Imported: on shipment

80% by confirmed L/C

Imported: on acceptance

10% within 30 days of receipt

Local supply: on acceptance

90% with advance, 100% without

This is the PCC's sample payment plan; your package may differ. Advance payments do not normally apply to 100% GoB-funded packages.

• Shipment: notify the PE and the insurer with the contract number, goods, quantity, vessel, bill of lading, ports and dates. Send the invoice, bill of lading, packing list, insurance certificate, warranty, inspection certificate and certificate of origin so they arrive at least one week before the goods, or you bear the consequences.
• Delivery and acceptance: the TEAC inspects within 24 hours of delivery; the Acceptance Certificate follows within 14 working days.
• Payment: in the currencies of your tender price, within the PCC days; late payment carries interest at the PCC rate.
• Retention: 10% held until the warranty ends; the PE can use it if you do not fix notified defects in time.
• Warranty: at least 3 months for supplies and 1 year for equipment, or the PCC period, from acceptance of the delivery chalan.
• Change orders: any change must be approved before you deliver; extra items are priced at contract rates or agreed market prices, and the total increase is capped at 10% of the contract price.

15Delays, Penalties and Disputes

• Need more time? Apply in writing before the original date; the PE decides within 21 days.
• Liquidated damages: 0.03% to 0.05% per day (PCC) of the contract value of undelivered goods, capped at no more than 10%.
• Force majeure: notify within 14 days; HOPE decides whether it applies.

Liquidated damages example Goods worth Tk. 50 lakh are 20 days late at 0.05% per day: 50,00,000 × 0.0005 × 20 = Tk. 50,000.

Termination follows a formal path: the PE verifies the grounds in a Verified Report, the Head issues a Notice to Terminate, you have 7 days to submit a verified position paper, and the Head decides within 10 days. Grounds for default include:

• Late delivery, or failing to maintain a required security.
• Any other breach, or corrupt, fraudulent, collusive, coercive or obstructive practice.
• Reaching the maximum liquidated damages, or bringing in a subcontractor after signing.

Disputes go to amicable settlement, then the Adjudicator, then arbitration: international rules (such as UNCITRAL or ICC) for a foreign supplier, or the Arbitration Act 2001 for a Bangladeshi supplier, as set in the PCC.

16Submission Checklist

• You and your goods are from eligible countries; you meet the TDS experience, capacity, liquid-asset and litigation criteria.
• Both affidavits, professional enrolment evidence, trade license and tax documents (or the foreign tenderer's declaration) are uploaded.
• Each item is on the right form (4A, 4B, 4C or 4D) with origin declared; local content shown if you claim Group A.
• Foreign costs are in the TDS currency and INCOTERM; inland delivery to the final destination is in Taka.
• Your price is within 10% of the estimate as far as you can judge, balanced, and every item is priced for full quantity.
• Tender security is a rounded TDS amount, valid 28 days beyond validity.
• Specifications, make and model, Manufacturer's Authorisation, spare parts list and local agent are provided where required.
• A bank and Bangladesh correspondent are lined up for the 10% performance security.

17Common Questions