Communication via paper still legally binding

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Source eKapija, 27. 08. 2010.
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The BH Council of Ministers at the session held on August 26, 2010 adopted the Strategy of development of public procurement in BiH for the period from 2010 - 2015, stating the possible guidelines for transparent and efficient use of public funds.

Besides the need to put in line the relative Legislation with the EU directives, the Strategy points to the high percentage of digital illiteracy and insufficient use of modern technology.

One cannot talk about online procurement due to a large number of contracting authorities that do not use it. "According to the Official Gazette of BiH, only 5 percent of the contracting authorities have submitted proposals and other documents via Internet. Over 20 percent of reports submitted to the Public Procurement Agency were filled in by hand, even though the forms were available on the website and could have been filled out electronically,” writes the Strategy.

In communication with the contracting authorities and suppliers, it was observed that over 50 percent of them do not use the web page of public procurement, saying that it is easier to communicate via conventional means such as telephone, fax or face-to-face meetings.

Another problem is a lack of legal directive. Namely, Bosnia and Herzegovina does not yet have all the necessary regulations related to electronic signatures, so that electronic communication is not legally a form of information exchange, which means that the official communication is conducted in paper form.

"The Public Procurement Agency of BiH, in order to promote the development of this domain has created a web-based information system for reporting public procurement procedures. Electronic system for submission of reports enables simpler, faster and more reliable reporting on conducted public procurement procedures, "states the Strategy document.

Also, the Public Procurement Agency has started with documents for electronic public procurement in Bosnia and Herzegovina - BiH e-Public Procurement Information System (BeHaPPy).

Software for the future system of online public procurement in Bosnia and Herzegovina will include creation of online Invitation to Bid files, which will enable a contracting authority to complete the ITB file with all attachments on the web site.

Then, the software will allow for online submission of Bids - Bidders will be able to offer digitally signed bids, along with all the required documents as proof of satisfying the selection criteria and submit them through the online system.

"If the online e-procurement kicks off, it could save up to 10 percent of related expenses and up 80 percent of the mailing costs to the customers and suppliers likewise," concludes the document.

N.V.