Rule 186 - RFP for Consultants | KartavyaDesk
Original Rule Text
Ministry/Department for obtaining offers from the consultants for the required service. The RFP should be issued to the shortlisted consultants to seek their technical and financial proposals. The RFP should contain: (i) A letter of Invitation (ii) Information to Consultants regarding the procedure for submission of proposal. (iii) Terms of Reference (TOR). (iv) Eligibility and pre-qualification criteria in case the same has not been ascertained through Enquiry for Expression of Interest. (v) List of key position whose CV and experience would be evaluated. (vi) Bid evaluation criteria and selection procedure. (vii) Standard formats for technical and financial proposal. (viii) Proposed contract terms. (ix) Procedure proposed to be followed for midterm review of the progress of the work and review of the final draft report. Rule 187 Receipt and opening of proposals Proposals should ordinarily be asked for from consultants in 'Two bid' system with technical and financial bids sealed separately. The bidder should put these two sealed envelopes in a bigger envelop duly sealed and submit the same to the Ministry or Department by the specified date and time at the specified place. On receipt, the technical proposals should be opened first by the Ministry or Department at the specified date, time and place. Rule 188 Late Bids. Late bids i.e. bids received after the specified date and time of receipt should not be considered. Rule 189 Evaluation of Technical Bids: Technical bids should be analysed and evaluated by a Consultancy Evaluation Committee (CEC) constituted by the Ministry or Department. The CEC shall record in detail the reasons for acceptance or rejection of the technical proposals analysed and evaluated by it. Rule 190 Evaluation of Financial Bids of the technically qualified bidders: The Ministry or Department shall open the financial bids of only those bidders who have been declared
What This Means
Rule 186 of the General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017 outlines the process for issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) when a government ministry or department needs to hire consultants. Think of an RFP as a detailed invitation to qualified consultants, asking them to submit their best offers for a specific project. This rule ensures transparency and fairness in the consultant selection process. It applies whenever a ministry or department requires specialized expertise that isn't available in-house and decides to outsource the work to consultants. It directly affects government employees involved in procurement and contract management, as well as consulting firms bidding for government projects.
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Key Points
- •RFP must be issued to shortlisted consultants after an Expression of Interest (EOI) process (if applicable).
- •The RFP must contain specific elements like a letter of invitation, information for consultants, Terms of Reference (TOR), and eligibility criteria.
- •The RFP should clearly state the bid evaluation criteria and selection procedure.
- •Standard formats for technical and financial proposals must be included in the RFP.
- •Proposed contract terms and the procedure for midterm and final report reviews should be outlined.
Practical Example
The Ministry of Rural Development needs expert advice on implementing a new rural employment scheme. They've already shortlisted several consulting firms through an Expression of Interest. Now, they need to issue an RFP according to Rule 186. The RFP includes a letter inviting the firms to submit proposals, detailed Terms of Reference outlining the project's scope, eligibility criteria (e.g., minimum years of experience, specific expertise), and the evaluation criteria (e.g., technical expertise weighting 60%, financial proposal weighting 40%). The RFP also includes standard templates for the firms to present their technical approach and cost estimates. The Ministry clearly states that proposals must be submitted by October 27th, 2024, at 3:00 PM.
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of an RFP as per Rule 186?▼
What are the key components that must be included in an RFP?▼
Does Rule 186 specify how consultants are initially selected before the RFP stage?▼
What happens if a proposal is received late?▼
Who evaluates the technical bids received in response to the RFP?▼
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Test Your Knowledge
Question 1 of 3
According to Rule 186 of GFR 2017, which of the following documents is MANDATORY to be included in a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued to shortlisted consultants?
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