Dar es Salaam, March 25, 2022:
The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has noted with serious concern misleading news articles carded by Mwananchi Newspaper issue no 7573 of 23s March 2022 written by one Alex Melange tilled “Zabuni ya Stempu za kielectroniki yaibua utata and another one written in the English Sister Newspaper. the Citizen issue number 6004 of the sane date and by the same reporter titled ‘New ETS tender not competitive, say manufactures” and the same was echoed by an online news media by the name Tanzania Business Insight carrying the same tittle and supposedly with a link to the two newspapers and the reporter.
Tanzania Revenue Authority wishes to state that the contents of the said News stories are not coned and they are biased as the authors and publishers for their own reasons intentionally ignored the journalistic ethical principles and natural justice for seeking clarifications from TRA to get facts and balance the story but instead went on to write and publish the stories one sided.
To put the records right to the General Public and allow stakeholders, TRA advertised the tender for installation of an Electronic Tax Stamps System in Tanzania on 16 February 2022 through a transparent and Internationally Competitive Tendering process. It should be noted that this tendering process is in accordance with the Public Procurement Ad.
In order to ensure that all bidders are given an equal opportunity, TRA developed neutral specifications to enable all bidders to compete at the same level playing field ensuring fairness to all, system quality assurance and a competitive price for delivery of the intended services. Further to that Terms of Reference (TOR) for this tender wore approved by Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).
In that context, the tender allows any qualified bidder to recommend a type of electronic system that is capable of generating stamps with high class security marks that cannot be easily tampered with or imitated. The tender therefore provides an opportunity for all bidders to bring in world class high-tech innovative technologies available in the world that meets the needs and that will help the Government control tax evasion loopholes.
In this particular tender, TRA has given six (6) months to the winning bidder to establish an ETS system in the country as opposed to three months in the previous tender that is currently ongoing with the aim of giving any winning bidder sufficient time to mobilize and implement the contract.
The bidding process is currently in progress and in order to make the process even more transparent, the bidders were invited for a Pm-tender Meeting held on March 8, 2022 where 26 representatives from various companies who expressed interest in participating in the bid attended as well as a representative from the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI)
The purpose of meeting was to provide an opportunity for bidders to review and discuss the tender documents enabling TRA to provide clarifications on how to prepare and submit bids online through the Tanzania National is-procurement system (TANePS). Bidders had the opportunity to openly ask questions and got clarifications and also openly gave suggestions on how best to improve the information presented in the tender.
Furthermore, the interested bidders had an opportunity to visit some of the factories from 19. to 22″‘ March to got an understanding of how they will have to install the ETS system in the respective factories.
It should be noted that TRA went further and provided a 45-day tendering period over and above the minimum 21 days provided for by the PPA to give ample time for all intending bidders from all over the world.
To date TRA has continued to receive requests for tender clarifications and provided clarification bidders to ensure thievery bidder gets the same opportunity to participate. This bidding process is conducted using an electronic bidding system TANePS by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) which increases transparency and minimize possible human busness thereby providing an opportunity for all bidders to prepare and submit their bids online in accordance with the Procurement Act.
TRA would like to lake this opportunity to invite all qualified bidders to participate in this tender with confidence and within the prescribed time and according to the law and ignore the misleading and biased news story referred to in this press release.
“Together We Build Our Nation”
Issued by,
Richard M. Kayombo
DIRECTOR SERVICE AND EDUCATION FOR TAXPAYER
