MANAMA: The Tenders Board embarked on a three-year strategy taking the organisation to the next level of excellence, says Chairman.
Eng. Basim Bin Yacob Al Hamer, Minister of Housing and Chairman of the Tender Board, and HE Hayam Al Awadhi, Secretary General of the Tender Board, outlined the Tender Board’s strategic plans for the next phase as part of the ongoing development plan approved by the Cabinet based on a recommendation by the Government Executive Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister.
The Tender Board also issued its annual report for 2016 in which it was announced that the total number of opened tenders in 2016 was 999 amounting to BD2.88 billion, with number of bids reached 5320, while the number of awarded tenders was 1661 worth BHD 1.46 billion. Gulf Air, the Ministry of Housing, the Bahrain Gas Company, Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, and the Electricity and Water Authority topped the list of government entities in terms of tender value.
The approval of the Cabinet confirms the development plan for the role of the Tender Board in support of the Kingdom’s far-reaching development programme that will benefit the nation and its people.
“The Tender Board is constantly looking to grow and develop, keeping abreast of the various changes taking place in the world. We aim to provide the best possible support to our partners and customers through simplifying procedures and seeking greater efficiencies,” HE Eng. Basim Bin Yacob Al Hamer, Chairman of the Tender Board told the media roundtable held at Tenders Board office.
“We also look to provide greater flexibility through the wider use of technology.”
He added that the approval of our development plan is another step forward for us in achieving this goal saying, “We are committed to continue providing support to the government whose efforts are built upon strategic goals of Bahrain’s economic vision 2030.
Hayam Al Awadhi, Secretary General of the Tender Board, said that the Board’s development plan includes a new corporate identity that reflects global modern trends, while highlighting our core values, transparency, equal opportunity, and the protection of public funds. The Secretary General also announced that a new website will be launched soon. The website will provide a new level of innovation and a digital window through which we welcome our partners and clients.
“We will be able to submit the board operations electronically to facilitate the search and classification of tenders and lists of approved pre-qualified suppliers and contractors, with greater detail and information now provided. The latest news, insights and updates from the Tender Board will also be provided in real-time,” she added.
HE Eng. Basim Bin Yacob Al Hamer stressed the keenness of the Tender Board to hold weekly sessions, stating that 101 meetings were held during the sixth session starting from 6th October 2015 to 9th November 2017, to supervise the opening of tenders, review and discuss correspondence in accordance to the law.
The Board also receives an average of 100 requests per week of different degrees of complexity including requests for tenders, awards, variation orders, extensions, renewals and grievances of suppliers and many others. He referred to the board’s efforts to speed up the work of the government and not delay development projects by responding to all correspondence received by the board as soon as possible. About 93% of these correspondences are answered within two weeks.
The Tender Board is a fully independent body, established by a Royal Decree issued on 7 January 2003, with a clear agenda to set up a strict regulatory mechanism that would ensure fairness and equal opportunity for all. And within such a short period of time, the Tender Board has achieved remarkable success, so much so that it now serves an international role model. A key achievement of the Tender Board has been the establishment of the highest standard of fairness in Government performance in terms of transparency and impartiality.
Through hard and constructive work, the Tender Board has extended bridges of cooperation between itself and public sector purchasing authorities on the one hand, and local and international contractors and suppliers, on the other hand. The Tender Board’s achievements over the past three years have earned it a reputation for transparency, integrity, fairness, competitiveness and equal opportunity. This has undoubtedly played a major role in boosting investors’ confidence in the nation’s economy, and enhancing the prestigious status of the Kingdom of Bahrain, both regionally and internationally.
