New Delhi: Research institutes no longer have to jump through hoops to procure cutting-edge technology. Aiming to advance scientific research and innovation, the Union Ministry of Finance has amended the special provisions under the general financial rules (GFR).
In an order issued Friday, the expenditure department under the ministry removed the requirement for public research institute heads, including directors and vice-chancellors of science and defence centres across the country, to seek quotations before purchasing scientific equipment and consumables (single-use research material or those with a limited lifespan), costing up to Rs two lakh.
The earlier limit was Rs one lakh only.
The order also increased the financial limit for procurement by purchase committees of public research institutes from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.
The purchase committees, with the principal, senior faculty, and administrative staff as members, help procure goods and services to meet the operational needs of research institutes. These goods and services can range from washrooms and biometric attendance machines to computers and electronics or consumables required in laboratories.
Tendering—required under the current rules—delays the overall process of equipment purchase. With the rules relaxed, government research institutes will have more autonomy now to meet the research demands of their laboratories. By reducing the requirements before purchase, scientists and researchers will no longer have to wait months—sometimes years—for the procurement of any desired equipment.
Union Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh Saturday said that the simplified GRF was a “landmark step” to promote the ease of doing research.
“This will reduce delays, also enhance autonomy and flexibility for research institutes—empowering them to innovate faster,” Singh said.
Fostering ease of doing business and research
Under the new rules, the government has increased the financial limit for the procurement of goods using the limited tender enquiry (LTE) from Rs 50 lakh to Rs one crore. Through an LTE, a government research institute invites tenders from bidders who are restricted to a specific set of pre-approved suppliers.
Under the new rules, government research institutes must issue a public advertisement to invite tenders for goods of Rs one crore or above, with no upper limit. This process is called advertised tender enquiry.
Earlier, an advertised tender enquiry was must for goods and services above Rs 50 lakh.
Any goods costing less than Rs one crore can now be bought through LTE, whose ambit has been extended, or single tender enquiry under which the public research institute approaches a single bidder since only they have the goods or since it requires the goods urgently.
The above relaxations will allow institutes to procure costlier goods in a quicker process, not involving public advertisements, than earlier.
Global tender enquiries (GTE) have been must for scientific equipment and consumables costing Rs 200 crore and above, and vice-chancellors and directors of public research institutes have been directly issuing such tenders for research purposes to invite bids from suppliers worldwide, a process that ensures access to global expertise.
The current order has extended the power of vice-chancellors and directors of government research institutes to approve global tender enquiries for goods worth up to Rs 200 crore as well by designating them as the primary authority in the purchase of all goods through a global tender enquiry.
To issue a global tender enquiry for goods worth less than Rs 200 crore, the institute director previously required to get a nod from the Cabinet Secretariat or the secretary in the ministry concerned, a practice earlier in place to promote Make in India or Indian manufacturers and companies.
Economist and author Sanjeev Sanyal said in a post on social media platform X that the revisions in the GFR had been a “long-standing demand” for ease of doing science.”
“Rules for procurement of scientific equipment eased for government-funded institutions. This was a long-standing demand for ease-of-doing-science,” his post read.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)