e-PW1(b) Works RFQ Lump Sum Preparation Guideline
How to prepare, publish, evaluate and award a Request for e-Quotation for low-value, simple works up to Tk. 15 lakh for a fixed lump-sum price, then run the contract through completion and the defects liability period, using BPPA's e-PW1(b) (SRFQ) and Rules 90 to 94 of the Public Procurement Rules 2025.
Submitting a quotation instead? Read the e-PW1(b) participation guideline.
This is a working summary, not the official document. The e-PW1(b) SRFQ issued by BPPA, the Public Procurement Act 2006 and the Public Procurement Rules 2025 take priority. Use the version attached in the e-GP system for your package.
01When to Use e-PW1(b)
Use e-PW1(b) when the Procuring Entity will select a Quotationer (a contractor) for works under the Request for Quotation Method (RFQM), pursuant to Rule 90(3) of the Public Procurement Rules 2025 and Section 32 of the Public Procurement Act 2006.
- Nature
- Works
- Method
- Request for Quotation (RFQM)
- Value limit
- Up to Tk. 15 lakh
- Pricing basis
- Lump sum, fixed
- Competition
- National
- Channel
- e-GP system
The lump-sum format fits when:
- the works are low value and simple (Rule 90(5));
- all the components of the works can be determined accurately before you invite quotations; and
- the works will be executed in conformity with complete specifications, designs and drawings.
If quantities can only be estimated and you need to measure and pay for what is actually built, use e-PW1(a), the unit-rate version of this RFQ. For works above Tk. 15 lakh use an open tendering STD instead.
| Point | e-PW1(a) unit rate | e-PW1(b) lump sum |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Estimated; quantities uncertain | Fully and accurately defined |
| Contractor quotes | A unit rate per item | A price per item, adding up to a fixed total |
| Payment | Re-measured quantities × rates; first bill after 20% progress | Three instalments at 30%, 75% and 100% completion |
| Price changes | Variations up to 10% of the contract price | Fixed sum, not subject to adjustment |
| Arithmetic rule | Unit rate prevails; words over figures | Words over figures |
Do not split a work into smaller packages to bring it under the RFQ limit. Splitting the object of procurement is not permitted (Rule 90(4)(ka)).
02Rules That Apply
RFQM follows Rules 90 to 94 of PPR 2025. These are the provisions the e-PW1(b) guidance notes point to.
| Topic | PPR 2025 | What it means for the PE |
|---|---|---|
| Use of RFQM for works | Rule 90(3) | e-PW1(b) is the document for works bought under RFQM. |
| Lump-sum quotations | Rule 90(5) | Low-value simple works are quoted on a lump-sum basis against a PE-prepared BoQ. |
| No splitting | Rule 90(4)(ka) | Keep the work whole. |
| Pre-disclosed criteria | Rule 91(4) | State the evaluation criteria in the e-RFQ. |
| No securities | Rule 91(6) | No quotation (tender) security, no performance security. |
| Invitation through e-GP | Rule 92(1), 92(2) | Publish in e-GP; no newspaper advertisement required. |
| Free document | Rule 92(3) | Issue the e-RFQ document free of cost. |
| Time limit | Rule 92(4) | At least 3 days, never more than 7 days. |
| Submission and opening | Rule 93(1), 93(2) | Quotations come through e-GP and open automatically. |
| Evaluation | Rule 94(1) | The Evaluation Committee evaluates as stated in the e-RFQ. |
| Contract signing | Rule 94(5) | Invite the successful Quotationer to sign after approval. |
| Low-priced quotations | Rules 25, 26 | Check responsive prices for a Significantly Low-priced Tender (SLT). |
| Variations | Rule 90(1), 90(6)(ka), (ga) | The 10% variation clause (CC 14) expressly excludes lump-sum contracts; the price is fixed. |
| Records | Rule 60 | Keep the record of the proceedings. |
| Integrity | Rule 149; PPA s.64 | Corrupt, fraudulent, collusive, coercive or obstructive practice is a termination ground. |
03Invite Quotations
The e-RFQ is invited through the e-GP system (Rule 92(1), 92(2)). A daily newspaper advertisement is not required, but give it a minimum circulation:
- Publish the e-RFQ in e-GP with the e-PW1(b) document and the BoQ attached.
- Publish the advertisement on the Procuring Entity's website, if it has one.
- Post it on the office Notice Board.
- Send it, with a request for publication, to the administrative wing of some other nearby Procuring Entities.
- Issue the e-RFQ document free of cost (Rule 92(3)).
- Keep the detailed specifications and the design and drawings available for inspection at the PE's office during office hours on all working days.
- State that quotations are requested on a lump-sum basis and that no quotation security or performance security is required.
04Set the Timeline
- Submission period
- Minimum 3 days
- Upper limit
- Never more than 7 days
- Validity
- Tender validity days in the IFT
- Opening
- Automatic in e-GP after closing
- The time limit for the Request for e-Quotation must not exceed seven days (Rule 92(4)), and the PE must allow at least three days for submission.
- The deadline may be extended only on justifiably acceptable grounds that are recorded, and still within the 3-to-7-day threshold.
- Quotations must stay valid for at least the tender validity days stated in the IFT, counted from the closing date.
- Decide two contract periods now and use them consistently: the days to commence after signing, and the days to complete (Conditions of Contract 3; RFQ para 17).
05Fill In the Document
The SRFQ leaves several values for the PE to insert. Check each one before publishing; a blank or wrong value is the most common reason quotations come back non-responsive or disputed.
| Where | What to insert |
|---|---|
| RFQ para 13 | The income-tax assessment year for the tax clearance certificate or return acknowledgement slip. |
| RFQ para 13 | The minimum liquid asset for the financial solvency certificate: an amount between 30% and 50% of the estimated cost. |
| Bill of Quantities | Columns 1 to 6 for every item (see the next section). |
| Specifications, Design and Drawings | The specification of works and the list of design and drawings. |
| Conditions of Contract 3 | Days to commence after signing, and days to complete the works. |
| Conditions of Contract 13 | Total contract price in figures and words (at award). |
| Conditions of Contract 11 | Nothing to insert, but check it: payment is fixed at three instalments (30%, 75% and 100% completion). |
| Conditions of Contract 21 | Defects Liability Period in months; usually 6 to 12 months. |
| Conditions of Contract 29 | The termination penalty: between 15% and 25% of the revised official estimated cost of uncompleted works. |
| Invitation for signing | RFQ number, days allowed to sign and the latest signing date (at award). |
Example: setting the solvency amount For an estimated cost of Tk. 12 lakh, the liquid asset you ask for must fall between Tk. 3.6 lakh (30%) and Tk. 6 lakh (50%). A higher figure screens out weaker firms; a lower one widens competition. Write the exact amount in para 13, not the percentage.
06Bill of Quantities
The lump-sum BoQ has 8 columns. The PE fills columns 1 to 6, the Quotationer quotes only column 7 (the price in figures), and e-GP writes it in words and adds up the total amount. Prepare the BoQ for this particular procurement.
| Col. | Column | Filled by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Item No. | PE |
| 2 | Group | PE |
| 3 | Item code (if any) | PE |
| 4 | Description of items of works (specifications preferably built in) | PE |
| 5 | Measurement unit | PE |
| 6 | Quantity | PE |
| 7 | Quoted price in figures (BDT) | Quotationer |
| 8 | Quoted price in words | e-GP (auto) |
| Total | Total amount in figures and words | e-GP (auto) |
- Build the specification into each description where you can. In a lump-sum contract the description is the scope the fixed sum pays for, so it must be complete.
- Quantities must be accurate. They are not re-measured; if the drawings and BoQ under-state the work, the contract has no mechanism to pay for the difference.
- The lump-sum contract price is a fixed sum and is not subject to any adjustment.
- Quoted prices must include profit, overhead and all taxes, duties, fees, levies and other charges under the Applicable Law, and are quoted and paid in Taka.
If you cannot fix the quantities with confidence, this is the wrong document. Use e-PW1(a) and pay on measurement.
07Specifications, Design and Drawings
The last section of the document is a placeholder: insert the specification of works and the list of design and drawings. In the contract they rank above the priced BoQ, and in a lump-sum contract they define exactly what the fixed price buys.
- Cover materials, workmanship, testing and the method of measurement for each BoQ item.
- List every drawing by number and title, and keep the full set available for inspection at the office.
- Make sure every quantity in the BoQ can be traced to the drawings. With no re-measurement, a gap between them becomes a dispute.
08Qualification Documents
The Quotationer must have legal capacity to enter into the contract. e-PW1(b) asks for certified photocopies of the latest:
- Valid Trade License.
- Tax Clearance Certificate, or the acknowledgement slip from the competent authority proving the income-tax return was submitted for the assessment year you state.
- VAT Registration Number / Business Identification Number (BIN).
- Financial Solvency Certificate from any scheduled bank showing liquid assets of at least the amount you set (30% to 50% of the estimated cost).
The document states that a quotation without these may be considered non-responsive, so name every document and value precisely.
09Opening and Evaluation
- e-GP opens the quotations automatically after the closing date (Rule 93(2)).
- After opening, quotations go to the Evaluation Committee by the same date as the closing (Rule 94(1)). It evaluates them only on the information and documents submitted.
- Apply only the criteria pre-disclosed in the e-RFQ (Rule 91(4)): responsiveness, the qualification documents and the priced BoQ.
- Correct anomalies: where figures and words disagree, the words prevail (RFQ para 15).
- Check responsive prices for a Significantly Low-priced Tender (SLT) under Rules 25 and 26.
- At least three responsive quotations are required to determine the lowest evaluated responsive quotation for award.
The Procuring Entity may reject all quotations or annul the proceedings. Record the reasons in the evaluation report.
10Invitation and Contract Signing
Unlike the goods RFQ, works under e-PW1(b) are awarded by a signed Contract Agreement, not a purchase order.
- The Evaluation Committee recommends; the Approving Authority approves (Rule 94(5)).
- Issue the Invitation for signing Contract through e-GP, with the draft contract attached. It states the RFQ number, the quotation date, the work and the contract price "as corrected", the days allowed to sign and the latest signing date.
- The invitation itself constitutes formation of the contract and binds the Quotationer.
- Sign the Contract Agreement through e-GP. The contractor may proceed with the works only after signing.
The Contract Agreement sets this order of priority among the contract documents:
- the signed Contract Agreement;
- the Letter of Invitation;
- the Conditions of Contract;
- the Specifications;
- the Design and Drawings;
- the priced Bill of Quantities;
- any other document listed in the contract.
11Start, Progress and Quality
- The contractor must commence within the days set in CC 3 and immediately submit a Programme of Works showing the timing of every activity (CC 4).
- Progress must be kept pro rata and is measured by the value of works executed (CC 5).
- Grant an extension of the intended completion date if the PE delays handing over the site, in Force Majeure, or for other justifiable reasons that you record (CC 6).
- Check and verify the works and notify the contractor of defects (CC 7). By visual inspection or field and lab tests you may order the contractor to remove and replace, or remove and re-execute, non-conforming work, and to execute work urgently needed for safety (CC 8).
- The lump-sum price is fixed. CC 14, which allows variation orders up to 10%, expressly excludes lump-sum contracts, so get the scope right before publishing. Approved changes to the Conditions of Contract are incorporated by amending the contract in line with the Rules (CC 15).
12Instalments and Payment
- Basis
- Fixed lump sum
- Instalments
- Three, by completion stage
- Retention
- 5% of each invoice
- Currency
- Taka
| Instalment | Due when | Share of price |
|---|---|---|
| 1st progressive payment | 30% of the works completed | 30% |
| 2nd progressive payment | Cumulative 75% completed | 45% |
| Final instalment | 100% completed and certified by the PE | 25% |
- Progress is judged by the value of works executed (CC 5). Verify each stage before paying.
- The contractor submits progressive invoices for the value of work executed, less the cumulative amount already certified (CC 9).
- Final payment is made only when all contractual obligations are fulfilled (CC 11).
- Deduct 5% of each invoice as retention money until the whole of the works is complete, and keep it to meet claims during the Defects Liability Period (CC 16).
- The contractor is responsible for all taxes, duties, fees and levies under the Applicable Law (CC 10).
Example: instalments on a Tk. 10 lakh contract At 30% completion, invoice Tk. 3,00,000, retain Tk. 15,000 and pay Tk. 2,85,000. At 75%, invoice Tk. 4,50,000, retain Tk. 22,500 and pay Tk. 4,27,500. At 100%, invoice Tk. 2,50,000, retain Tk. 12,500 and pay Tk. 2,37,500. Tk. 50,000 stays in retention until the defects period ends (amounts before statutory deductions).
13Completion and Defects Liability
| Step | PE time limit | CC |
|---|---|---|
| Contractor applies for a Completion Certificate | – | 17 |
| Issue the certificate, or reject with reasons and the work still needed | Within 7 working days | 18 |
| Take over the site and the works | Within 7 working days of the certificate | 19 |
| Notice to correct defects | Within 14 days of the request for final payment | 20 |
| Defects Liability Period | Months set in CC 21, from the Completion Certificate | 21 |
| Defects Corrections Certificate | After the period, once notified defects are corrected | 22 |
| Return retention money | Within 14 days after the period expires | 27 |
- The Defects Liability Period extends for as long as notified defects remain uncorrected (CC 23).
- If the contractor does not correct a defect in time, assess the cost of having it corrected; the contractor remains liable for it (CC 24).
- Loss or damage to the works or materials from the start date to the end of the period, caused by the contractor's acts or omissions, is remedied at the contractor's cost (CC 26).
- The contractor indemnifies the PE against claims for loss of property or life while executing the work (CC 25).
14Termination and Disputes
The PE may terminate the contract in whole or in part by written notice if the contractor (CC 28):
- fails to sign the contract or commence the work within the specified time;
- fails to achieve satisfactory progress against the Programme of Works;
- fails to complete the work as per design, drawing and specifications;
- does not remedy a failure within the period in a written notice;
- has engaged in corrupt, fraudulent, collusive, coercive or obstructive practice in competing for or executing the work;
- fails to perform any other obligation, or engages in any practice under Rule 149 of PPR 2025.
On termination the contractor pays a penalty, representing the PE's additional cost of finishing, at the percentage you set in CC 29 (15% to 25%) of the revised official estimated cost of the uncompleted works. Settle disputes amicably first (CC 30).
Example: the termination penalty If the revised official estimate for the unfinished work is Tk. 3 lakh and CC 29 says 20%, the contractor owes Tk. 60,000. The retention already held is available against such claims.
15Records
Keep the record of the procurement proceedings under Rule 60: the published e-RFQ and circulation evidence, any deadline extension and its grounds, the opening record, the evaluation report, the approval, the invitation and signed contract, stage certifications and invoices, the Completion and Defects Corrections Certificates, and the retention release.
16Publishing Checklist
- Estimated cost is within Tk. 15 lakh and the work has not been split.
- All components and quantities are determined accurately, so lump sum is the right basis (otherwise use e-PW1(a)).
- The e-PW1(b) (SRFQ) version in e-GP is attached and the e-RFQ is free of cost.
- Submission period is between 3 and 7 days; tender validity days are set in the IFT.
- Assessment year and the solvency amount (30% to 50% of the estimate, in Taka) are inserted in para 13.
- BoQ columns 1 to 6 are complete, with specifications built into descriptions and quantities traceable to the drawings.
- Specifications and the drawing list are inserted, and drawings are available for inspection.
- Commencement days, completion days, Defects Liability Period and the termination penalty are filled in the Conditions of Contract.
- Evaluation criteria are stated in the e-RFQ.
- Circulation done: website (if any), Notice Board and nearby PEs.
Bidorix can check that your BoQ and drawings define the scope fully before you fix a lump sum.
17Common Questions
Can we ask for a performance security on a works RFQ?
No. Rule 91(6) excludes both quotation security and performance security. The 5% retention money held from each payment is the protection during the Defects Liability Period.
What if fewer than three responsive quotations arrive?
e-PW1(b) requires at least three responsive quotations to determine the lowest evaluated responsive quotation for award. With fewer, the Procuring Entity cannot award on this basis and may annul the proceedings and re-invite.
Can we pay a mobilisation advance or split payment differently?
The Conditions of Contract do not provide for an advance. Lump-sum payment is set at three instalments: 30% completion, cumulative 75% completion and 100% certified completion.
Does the Procuring Entity issue a purchase order or a Notification of Award?
Neither. After approval the PE issues an Invitation for signing Contract through e-GP, and the Contract Agreement is then signed through e-GP.
The site needs more work than the BoQ shows. Can we issue a variation order?
The lump-sum price is fixed and not subject to adjustment, and the 10% variation clause (CC 14) excludes lump-sum contracts. Prevent this by fixing the scope fully before you publish; if quantities are uncertain, use e-PW1(a).
How long can we keep the retention money?
Until the Defects Liability Period ends. It must be returned within 14 days after the period expires; the period itself extends while notified defects remain uncorrected.