KATHMANDU, Feb 5: The Department of Passports (DoP) has expedited the process of awarding a new contract to ensure the smooth distribution of passports.
Addressing a press conference at the DoP on Tuesday, Director General Tirtha Raj Aryal stated that the tender process is progressing to maintain an uninterrupted passport supply. "The DoP currently has 1,021,700 passports in stock, enough for about a year. We aim to finalize the new contract in time to ensure a seamless supply," he said.
Regarding concerns over technical specifications and the decision to split the tender, Aryal clarified that the procurement has been divided into two packages to increase competition and reduce reliance on a single company. Package 1 covers the application system, data management, and distribution, while Package 2 involves the supply and personalization of e-passport booklets.
Director General Aryal emphasized the need to be ready to print passports under the new contract by December 2025. "We extended the deadline by one month at the request of interested companies, but there will be no further extensions. Finalizing this project promptly is essential," he said.
Since winning the 2020 contract, IDEMIA, a French company, has supplied over five million passports. With the contract set to expire in December 2025, the DoP has issued a fresh global tender to produce an additional five million passports.
Responding to media reports that the technical specifications favor certain companies, Aryal stated they were prepared in accordance with existing laws, procurement guidelines and best practices. He assured that the process is transparent, open and fair to all bidders. A separate expert team determined the specifications, considering security features, paper quality, chip technology and data management.
To ensure fairness, the DoP extended the bid submission deadline by 30 days upon request from prospective bidders. Aryal noted that representatives from 22 companies attended a pre-bidding meeting to learn about the new tender.
The DoP initially called for tenders on November 28, extending the deadline first to January 12 and now to February 11 due to disputes over the tender documents.
Addressing reports that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had intervened in the tender process, Aryal denied any raids or document seizures. He clarified that a CIAA team visited the DoP to review the 2010 passport tender and printing technology, unrelated to the ongoing process.
“They [the CIAA team] had come to learn about the tender held in 2010. They wanted to see the printing technology. They told us that they would come and see it on the site, and that the visit from the CIAA was made in that context,” Aryal said, while clarifying that the CIAA has not intervened in the process.
Aryal also dismissed allegations that DoP staff had traveled abroad at the expense of the current printing company, reiterating that the tender process remains impartial and untargeted.