Be ePerolehan-enabled, suppliers told

Government suppliers have been issued with a directive from the Ministry of Finance to become ePerolehan-enabled to avoid losing out on Government-related business opportunities.

In a statement released in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Commerce Dot Com Sdn Bhd said the directive follows an earlier announcement by the MOF requesting all government agencies and procurement centres to only make purchases via suppliers registered with the Ministry through ePerolehan.

Commerce Dot Com shares joint responsibility with the MOF for the development and implementation of the national e-procurement system, ePerolehan.

Commenting on the directive, Commerce Dot Com chief executive Datuk Mohd Salleh Masduki said that since most suppliers are unfamiliar with information communications technology, measures will have to be taken to maintain and increase their competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving local and international markets.

"ePerolehan provides a platform for our business communities to learn how to do business online, initially with the Government and in future with global clients and customers.

"Doing business online and leveraging on the pervasive presence of the Internet, small- and large-scale businesses have equal opportunities to gain competitive advantage," he said.

He added that government suppliers conducting business via ePerolehan are already reaping the benefits of doing business through the Internet.

Currently, three modules -- Supplier Registration, Central Contract and Direct Purchase -- are fully functional under the new electronic sales channel.

By the end of the third quarter of this year, suppliers will be able to submit quotations, obtain tender documents and submit tender bids online when the Quotation and Tender procurement modules come online, said Commerce Dot Com.

It said the ministry had issued the directive in December last year to the 35,000 government suppliers in the country to become ePerolehan-enabled.

To get started with ePerolehan, Government registered suppliers would have to invest only about RM370 for a minimum of two ePerolehan smart cards with embedded digital certificates and an ePerolehan smart card reader. -- Bernama