‘Integrity pact’ must for Delhi govt contracts over Rs 10 crore
Under the pact, both the parties, who entered into a contract, will commit not to resort to any corrupt practices at any stage of the work.
NEW DELHI: Firms bidding for projects and procurement exceeding Rs 10 crore under the Delhi government, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and autonomous agencies will now be required to sign an ‘Integrity Pact’ after which the tender would be awarded.
Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena cleared a proposal for the move on Tuesday, officials said. The city’s administrator also slashed the threshold of budget which required a project to enforce Integrity Pact on its vendor, they added.
Under the pact, both the parties, who entered into a contract, will commit not to resort to any corrupt practices at any stage of the work. According to the officials, violation of the pact will lead to disqualification and other penal actions.
The integrity pact, in respect of a particular contract, will be operative from the date it is signed by both the parties till the completion of contract. Independent External Monitors (IEM) will be appointed to look into any issue relating to execution of the contract, officials said. Names of the IEMs, who will be taken from the panel of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) or from the panel appointed by the government, will be reflected in the tender document, they added.
According to the provisions of law, any violation of Integrity Pact would entail disqualification of the bidders and exclusion from future business dealings, as per the GFR, 2017, PC Act, 1988, officials said.
The L-G underlined that though provisions for an Integrity Pact and appointment of IEMs were to be done in 2007, it was only in 2017, a few departments and agencies started to follow the practice, according to the officials.
However, none of the operators like PWD and MCD adopted the procedure for the Integrity Pact. Many departments also submitted a report saying that the then threshold of Rs 50 crores was not applicable to their projects and procurements, which were of much lesser value. “The fresh proposal has lowered the threshold to Rs 10 crore, to ensure total compliance,” a senior official said.
Violation of pact will lead to penal action
Under the Integrity Pact, both the parties, who entered into a contract, will commit not to resort to any corrupt practices at any stage of the work. Violation of the pact will lead to disqualification and other penal actions. The pact, in respect of a particular contract, will be operative from the date it is signed by both parties till the completion of contract.
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