Above: TSTT’s Assistant General Manager Emerging Services and Innovation, Keino Cox. Photo courtesy TSTT.
TSTT’s e-Tender solution will make it easier and seamless for businesses and public agencies to comply with the provisions of the recently proclaimed Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property (Amendment) Act, 2020 (Act No. 27 of 2020).
Keino Cox, Assistant General Manager of Emerging Services and Innovation TSTT, welcomed the opportunity the proclamation of the Act brings, noting that the company stands ready to empower entities to become compliant with the requirements of the Act through tried and tested technologies.
“At TSTT, we created and constantly innovated the e-Tender platform with this Act in mind. Simply put, e-Tender democratizes access to business opportunities in the public sector. Whether you’re a sole trader, small, medium or large contractor or vendor, the platform facilitates seamless, digital access to procurement opportunities. For example, a small contractor located in San Fernando can receive automated email notifications, browse opportunities published by various state agencies, access the tender, upload and view the tender opening results when it closes, all from the comfort of a mobile phone, tablet or laptop. Conversely, under the new Procurement Regulations, a Permanent Secretary or Accounting Officer can access the Procurement Plan, view dashboard reports and obtain real time data on all procurement activity within the ministry or state agency to inform reporting to the OPR or other oversight bodies.”
The Act aims to ensure transparency, accountability and fairness in public procurement and the retention and disposal of public property. It also establishes rules and procedures for the process, sets criteria for selecting contractors and suppliers, and establishes the Office of Procurement Regulation (“OPR”) to monitor compliance.
Elaborating on the platform, Cox added, “The TSTT e-Tender platform is an online system developed by the TSTT team for the procurement of goods and services. Cox further detailed “the platform allows for the electronic submission of bids and proposals, which increases efficiency and transparency in the procurement process.”
“The system also facilitates the evaluation of bids, enabling the selection of the most competitive and suitable supplier or contractor. Overall, the TSTT e-Tender platform benefits Trinidad and Tobago by promoting a more streamlined and effective procurement process and providing greater access to opportunities for local businesses to participate in public tenders.”
Winner of the “Innovative Business Model Award” in 2019 by the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (“TATT”) for its technological advancement and product innovation, e-Tender is presently the most used e-Procurement platform deployed across Trinidad and Tobago.
Many of the largest public and private sector entities in healthcare, education, manufacturing, FMCG, technology and construction sectors adopted the platform with great success in digitizing their procurement value chain. To date, e-Tender has achieved over 20,000 tender sales, attracting more than 12,000 registered vendors with visitors from over 50 countries to the online marketplace.
Since its development in 2012, e-Tender has proudly connected buyers and sellers and today is the only locally owned and created automated end-to-end e-procurement software solution of its kind, with online provision of Supplier Pre-Qualification, Request for Quotations/Proposals (“RFx”), Forward/Reverse e-Auctions, Online RFx Evaluation, Contract Management and Public Sector Investment Programme (“PSIP”) Project Management -all in one online space.
By leveraging technology, the software offers a refined supply chain management solution that promotes transparency and efficiency. The platform runs on TSTT’s VMware Verified Cloud and fully certified TIA-942-B Rated 3, DCOS Maturity level 3, and SOC Type 2 Data Centre, the most advanced in the Caribbean Region and one of top Data Centres in the entire Western Hemisphere, ensuring the highest level of security and reliability.
According to Cox, “e-Tender is a world-class platform and we are confident that it is the best solution to help ensure compliance with the requirements of the Act.”
For more information on e-Tender, visit etenderworld.tt
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- To date, TSTT’s e-Tender hasachieved over 20,000 tender sales and attracted over 12,000 registered vendors from over 50 countries
