The National e-Governance Division (NeGD) has issued a comprehensive Request for Empanelment (RFE), inviting consulting organizations to collaborate in driving the transformative Digital India program.
The RFE outlines the extensive vision of the Digital India program, aiming to shape India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. It covers various government services accessible through multiple channels, including web, mobile, and service delivery outlets. The Digital India initiative encompasses a range of programs, such as Aadhaar, DigiLocker, UMANG, API Setu, UPI, CoWIN, Direct Benefit Transfer, DIKSHA, Poshan Tracker, and PM Gati Shakti, among others.
As outlined in the RFE document dated December 21, NeGD is seeking applications from consulting organizations, referred to as “agencies,” to participate in the Digital India program. Key points from the RFE include:
Prospective bidders must submit a single application and adhere to specific submission guidelines, including online submission of bids through the Central Public Procurement Portal. Details of the services to be provided are outlined in the Scope of Work within the document.
A pre-bid meeting is scheduled at the NeGD conference room, following which short-listed agencies will be invited to present their proposals to the Evaluation Committee. The selection process for shortlisting agencies and subsequent evaluation will be based on specified criteria.
Key dates regarding bid submissions, including hard copy submissions and deadlines, are specified in the document. NeGD emphasizes adherence to these timelines. Agencies must meet both pre-qualification and technical qualification criteria. Compliance with all conditions, including a thorough examination of the document, fulfillment of criteria, and signing each page of the proposal by an authorized signatory, is emphasized.
NeGD has clarified that it reserves the right to reject any or all responses to the RFE without specifying reasons and disclaims responsibility for delays or non-receipt of responses. Interested bidders are urged to contact designated NeGD officers for clarifications before the scheduled timeline.
As suggested in the document, the primary objective of this RFE is to address the increasing demand for the design, development, and implementation of Digital India initiatives aligned with the India Digital Ecosystem Architecture (InDEA) framework. Empaneled organizations are expected to identify new initiatives, offer consulting services, and manage projects while conforming to established architectures and digital service standards.
The RFE document is published on the Central Public Procurement Portal (CPP Portal), necessitating the submission of soft copies of bids electronically using valid Digital Signature Certificates. Bidders are guided through the registration process and provided with instructions for online submission.