Para 4.3.2 - STC Rules | KartavyaDesk
Original Rule Text
Chapter 4: Bidding Design for Non-Consultancy Services iii) One or more persons with experience in financial management/ financial administration/audit/accountancy; iv) Not more than one member representing the procuring entity who may inter alia provide administrative support to the Committee. v) Any person who is a member of the STC shall not associate himself in any manner with any bidder for the procurement concerned. b) The names of members of the Special Technical Committee shall be decided either by the Competent Authority specified in sub-para 5) above or by any other authority to whom such power is delegated by the competent authority; however, powers shall not be delegated to the officer or authority competent to finalise the particular procurement. Sitting fee may be paid to the members of the STC. Incidental costs including travel shall be paid by the procuring entity. c) The STC shall make specific recommendations on the following matters:- i) The weight to be given to non-financial parameters (not exceeding 30%). However, the weight for the “technical” shall be chosen, considering the complexity of the assignment and the relative importance of quality. The proposed weightings for quality and cost shall be specified in the Tender Document. It may be noted that theoretically QCBS system with weight of 100% (hundred percent) for the ‘cost’ is same as the price based LCS system. ii) The specific quality/ technical parameters, their weights, their scoring methodology, the minimum qualification score, etc. and other relevant criteria necessary for ensuring fair and transparent quality/ technical evaluation of the bids. d) The recommendations of the STC shall be followed except where there are special grounds in public interest for deviating from them. However, every case of deviation from the recommendations of the STC shall require approval of the Competent Authority specified in sub-para 5) above who approved the declaration of the procurement as QOP. e) With respect to QCBS for Non-Consultancy Services not exceeding Rs.10 crore, a Technical Committee shall be constituted to carry out functions mentioned in sub-para c) above in lieu of the STC. The composition of the Technical Committee shall follow the provisions of sub-para a) above. 7. Grounds for Declaring a Procurement to be Quality Oriented Procurement: A procurement should be declared as a QOP only if there is enough justification in terms of value addition or enhancement of delivery or paramount importance of quality. Reasons for not adopting two cover/ pre-qualification-based/ least cost system shall be documented. 8. Tender Documents - Fixing/ Selection of the Evaluation/ Qualification Criteria: To ensure quality, some of the criteria used in marking may be made mandatory and if a bidder does not meet those, then bids shall not be evaluated further. Weightage may also be given for the timely completion of past projects of a similar nature by the bidder. 9. Pre-bid Meeting: In all cases of QOP, a pre-bid meeting shall be held in which the technical criteria including the marking scheme shall be discussed with the potential bidders. If any changes in the criteria are necessitated by such consultation, such changes shall require the recommendation of the STC. In Non-Consultancy Services, pre-bid meetings may be held at the discretion of the public authority. 10. Fixing of Scoring/ Marking Criteria:
What This Means
Para 4.3.2 of the Manual for Procurement of Non-Consultancy Services outlines the rules for forming a Special Technical Committee (STC) or a Technical Committee (for procurements up to Rs. 10 crore). These committees are crucial for evaluating bids based on quality and technical aspects, especially when quality is a major factor in the procurement. The rule specifies who should be on the committee, ensuring a mix of financial expertise and administrative support, while preventing conflicts of interest. It also details how the committee should recommend weightings for non-financial parameters (up to 30%) and define the quality/technical evaluation criteria.
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Key Points
- •STC/Technical Committee composition includes financial experts and administrative support.
- •Members must avoid conflicts of interest with bidders.
- •STC recommends weightings for non-financial parameters (max 30%) and defines quality/technical evaluation criteria.
- •Deviations from STC recommendations require approval from the Competent Authority.
- •Technical Committee (instead of STC) can be formed for QCBS procurements up to Rs. 10 crore.
Practical Example
The Ministry of Jal Shakti wants to procure a new water testing system. Since the accuracy and reliability of the system are paramount, they declare it a Quality Oriented Procurement (QOP). The Competent Authority, Mr. Sharma, approves the formation of an STC. The STC includes Ms. Verma, a financial advisor from the Department of Expenditure; Mr. Singh, an auditor; and Ms. Kapoor, an administrative officer from the Ministry. The STC recommends a weighting of 25% for technical parameters, focusing on the system's accuracy and certification. They also define specific scoring criteria for each technical parameter. The tender document reflects these recommendations. A bidder, 'AquaTech Solutions', is found to have a conflict of interest with Mr. Singh, and is therefore disqualified.
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 maximum weightage that can be given to non-financial parameters?▼
Can the officer finalizing the procurement be delegated the power to decide the members of the STC?▼
What happens if the procuring entity wants to deviate from the STC's recommendations?▼
Is a Special Technical Committee mandatory for all procurements?▼
What is the purpose of the STC?▼
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 Para 4.3.2 of the Manual for Procurement of Non-Consultancy Services, what is the maximum weight that the Special Technical Committee (STC) can recommend for non-financial parameters in the evaluation of bids?
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