New Delhi: International Road Federation (IRF) global road safety body working for better and safer roads worldwide has written a letter to prime minister Narendra Modi to intervene and suitably instruct various government departments and concerned officers to implement the General Financial Rules (GFR) on the basis of Quality-Cum- Cost-Based -Selection (QCBS) for contracts and procurements.
“Now as per the amended GFR, the works can be awarded and procurement of goods done on the basis of Quality-cum-Cost-Based-Selection (QCBS) where quality has 30% marks and Cost has 70% marks. Although the GFR has been amended to have the above provision, it is not being implemented. This results in works still being awarded to the lowest bidder. The contracting industry has been quoting obnoxiously low rates, which results in poor quality of work, elongated arbitration and long drawn court cases.” Said Mr K K Kapila, President Emeritus, International Road Federation (IRF) and as Chairman ICT Group in a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Thus, the works awarded on least cost ultimately become far more expensive and the government or various departments getting poor quality of work where the contractor keeps cutting the corners because of his unworkable rates.” He said.
IRF has urged prime minister to suitably direct respective secretaries under whom works take place, to strongly advise offices under them, who undertake works, to follow the above stated General Financial Rules and ensure appropriate quality of work.
General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017 are a comprehensive set of instructions by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, regulating public financial dealings to ensure accountability, transparency, and efficiency. Applicable to all Central Ministries, Departments, and attached bodies, they mandate using the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) for procurement, strict compliance in financial transactions, and prudent management of public funds.