Bahrain's Tender Board yesterday launched an e-tendering project to integrate the kingdom's ministries and business community.

Al Nader Information Technology along with US-based firm VARStreet and Mastek will create the online system to manage all tenders and government purchases, as well as improve communication with contractors and suppliers.

'The Tender Board has implement the VARStreet solution to provide a centralised online system,' Tender Board chairman Dr Abdulhussein Mirza said.

'The system will streamline the tendering process, provide greater transparency, better procurement practices and higher levels of service to various ministries in their tendering process,' he said.

The project is expected to be completed in six months, the board said.

The board's move towards a central e-tendering system is to strengthen the transparency and fair competition that it advocates.

The adoption is an important element of the planned introduction of an e-government in the kingdom.

The system will provide a single interface to the government purchasing authorities, suppliers and the tender board and automate activities performed by the parties by integrating them on a single electronic network.

Among the key benefits the system will bring to the board is a reduction in the administrative cost and improved accuracy of orders.

'We are excited to assist the Tender Board in meeting its business objectives with our world class solution and we look forward to working with the ministries and suppliers in utilising the solution both in Bahrain and elsewhere across the Middle East region,' said Al Nadeem Information Technology chief executive Ubaydli Ubaydli.

Since its inception in 2003, the board has strived to enhance and further consolidate the values of transparency, fairness and integrity and to achieve the principle of equal opportunity.

The board's objective for the e-tendering system is to manage all tenders and government purchased online.

The system will help in announcing bids, receiving documents, opening bids, and announcing tender awards.

Upon completion, the e-tendering system will enable the board to eliminate unnecessary overheads and thus further speed up the tendering process.

After the e-tendering system goes live, the board will encourage all government purchasing authorities to use the system online as well as contractors and suppliers through a comprehensive training schedule. -TradeArabia News Service