The state-owned telecom operator, BSNL will revise the conditions and structure of its 4G expansion tender for the procurement of 4G equipment. As the ministry of commerce marked DoT officials earlier and stated that strict actions would be taken against the telco for not following the public procurement policy and encourage Make in India Initiative. The revised bidding conditions of the 4G expansion tender will now be formulated as per the public procurement policy. Department of Telecommunications (DoT)
is also following the matter and keeping a constant check on the structure of the revised tender.
As the first draft of 4G expansion tender received negative feedback from various bidders for the non-fulfilment of public procurement policy, ET Telecom reported that BSNL would rework on the tender as per the policy. Also, once the government lifts the lockdown period, BSNL will conduct a bidder meet and address the matter to the stakeholders. It is expected that BSNL will initiate the process of tender after conducting the stakeholders and bidder meet.
As per the officials, BSNL made eligibility criteria without considering the public procurement policy. One of the eligibility criteria of the BSNL 4G expansion tender states that bids will be invited only from the companies who have a minimum turnover of Rs 8,000 crore in the last two financial years. Not only this, BSNL asked for a whooping number of subscribers in at least two countries. These eligibility criteria imposed by BSNL reduced the competency to just multi-national vendors like Nokia, Samsung and Huawei, which would result in skipping the Make in India initiative by the government.
BSNL is planning to work and maintain the 7,000 new 4G sites serviced by MTNL. Not only this, but the state-owned telco would also invite bids for the upgradation of 50,000 sites in all zones. It is expected that BSNL will procure the 4G gears after six months. Also, the government might deploy 4G spectrum in the current fiscal year.
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