Nepal likely to miss MRP deadline again

KATHMANDU, May 15: Nepal is likely to miss even the re-scheduled August 1 deadline for introducing machine readable passports (MRP) as there is only limited time left for completing procurement of the passports from an international bidder.



There are now only 78 days left for introducing the MRPs but the process of awarding the multi-million dollar bid to an international security printer is yet to begin. [break]



Even after the process begins --probably next week --the entire bidding process cannot be expedited to meet the August 1 deadline as the Public Procurement Act does not allow this. The law has set timeframes that need to be respected while completing the bidding process.



First, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), which is entrusted with procuring the passports, will have to allow international bidders 45 days from the date of publication of the tender call notice, to submit their proposals. The ministry is planning to publish the notice next week.



As 45 days are required for the bid proposals alone, 33 days will be left for selecting a qualified supplier and procuring the MRPs.



"We will need a minimum 10-15 days to evaluate the bid proposals though the law allows us to take a maximum of 120 days for the purpose," said a senior official at MoFA.



MoFA will then have to sign an agreement with the supplier and this will also takes some days, meaning that there will be hardly 10-15 days left for the selected supplier to start work on printing the passports. The passports therefore will not be available by August 1.



"Thus we are sure to miss the ICAO deadline for the second time," said another senior MoFA official.



Initially, Nepal was to introduce the MRPs by April 1 but failed to do so. It then requested the UN agency in March to extend the deadline till August 1. At that time, Nepal had decided to procure the MRPs from India, but the deal was revoked on April 12 due to opposition from the Maoists. The matter was also questioned at the Supreme Court.



MoFA could not begin a new process until the Supreme Court gave its go-ahead. The court´s delay in handing down its decision and the Maoist-imposed general strike further worsened matters.



MoFA officials are still unclear whether they will request ICAO for the second time to extend the deadline, as the non-machine readable passports to be issued after August 1 will be considered invalid. But passports issued before the deadline will be accepted till November 24, 2015.



kiran@myrepublica.com

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