Foreign secy defends MRP deal

KATHMANDU, July 12: Foreign Affairs Secretary Madan Kumar Bhattarai on Monday briefed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of parliament on the Ministry of Foreign Afffairs´ decision to award a tender to supply machine readable passports (MRPs) to a French company, Oberthur Technologies.

Bhattarai told the parliamentary committee that the decision was taken after an evaluation committee found the French security printer complying with all the criteria mentioned in the bid document and offering the lowest price of US$ 3.59 per booklet. [break]

The ministry has taken initiative to select the international supplier in its bid to introduce the high-tech passports by December 31.

Nepal has already missed April 1 deadline to issue MRPs as per its commitment to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It is also missing second deadline of August 1 after its two efforts to procure passports from an international supplier failed.

In the meeting, lawmakers expressed their concern about the security features and durability of the passports to be supplied by the French company. They also questioned the French company´s credibility to deliver passports on time as it had failed to deliver bank notes last year, creating a shortage of notes during last Dashain.

The evaluation committee selected the firm in the best interests of the country and people in a transparent manner... Relieve me from the responsibility if the decision is to be dragged into unnecessary controversy.

-- Mukti Nath Bhatta, Chief of Protocol and chief of evaluation committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

A few lawmakers sought clarification from the secretary and other Foreign Affairs Ministry officials over allegation that the French firm was selected despite its sub-standard printing technology. The ministry officials are due to reply all the questions related to the selection of the French security printer on Tuesday morning.

"The evaluation committee selected the firm in the best interests of the country and people in a transparent manner," said Mukti Nath Bhatta, Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who headed the evaluation committee.

He also asked the committee to relieve him from his responsibility if the decision were to be dragged into unnecessary controversy.

Lawmaker Narayan Dahal said the issue landed in the committee only because of vested business interests of rival bidders. Similarly, parliamentarian Bhanubhakta Joshi said the issue would have also landed in the committee had the ministry awarded the tender to any bidder other than the French company.

However, lawmaker Anil Jha claimed that security features have been compromised while awarding the contract to Oberthur. He said the passports offered by India early this year were more secured than the ones that are to be procured from the French company.

The foreign ministry officials could not answer all questions raised by the lawmakers due to time constraint on Monday. They have been told to be present in the committee Tuesday morning as well.