KATHMANDU: The Federation of Contractors’ Association of Nepal (FCAN) has demanded that the Public Procurement Monitoring Office (PPMO) resolve technical security issues and immediately restore the e-GP system.
The federation stated that the prolonged suspension of the system has hindered public procurement processes and stalled development works, directly impacting contractors.
The system operates under the Public Procurement Act, 2063 and Public Procurement Regulations, 2064. FCAN Deputy General Secretary and spokesperson Mangal Bahadur Shahi stated that reverting to manual hard-copy processes is not a viable long-term solution.
“The security vulnerabilities within the system must be identified and resolved immediately to bring the e-GP back online,” Shahi said.
He added, “It is the responsibility of the PPMO to ensure the security of the e-GP. Instead of keeping the system closed indefinitely due to security risks, they should prioritize necessary upgrades and resume operations immediately to ensure that the work of contractors and public agencies is not affected.”
The federation has presented a five-point demand to the PPMO, which includes conducting an independent cybersecurity audit, addressing security weaknesses, and strengthening access control, audit trails, and data protection mechanisms. FCAN emphasized that the prompt restoration of the e-GP system is essential to maintain transparency, ensure fair competition in public procurement, and facilitate the continuity of development projects.
