PMO scrutiny of Nepal Telecom billing tender raises concerns over interference

Nepal Telecom employees are expressing concern over what they perceive as increasing interference from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in the company's technical and procurement decisions. The PMO's information technology section has requested detailed documents regarding the state-owned operator's proposed new billing system, including procurement records, system architecture, and 4G/LTE operations.

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Our IT study task force is reviewing the issues related with the billing system. However, a comprehensive report detailing specific findings has not yet been submitted. Detailed insights will be accessible once the task force concludes its evaluation.

A PMO spokesman, Hemraj Aryal, stated that an IT study task force is conducting a routine assessment of public information technology infrastructure. He assured that the review is standard procedure and not intended to impede Nepal Telecom's operations or procurement processes. However, senior officials within the company argue that decisions concerning core systems should adhere to established technical and procurement protocols, free from political or administrative intervention.

The scrutiny coincides with Nepal Telecom's efforts to issue a new tender for a billing system estimated to cost approximately Rs5 billion. This initiative follows previous procurement attempts that were hampered by legal challenges, complaints regarding tender specifications, and administrative hurdles. The company's board has recently granted the managing director full authority to manage the procurement, aiming to expedite the process.

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It is merely a standard study intended to assess the overall status of public information technology infrastructure. The task force was previously constituted to review various IT systems across state organs. This routine assessment is unlikely to halt or impede Nepal Telecom’s ongoing operational procedures.

Nepal Telecom joint spokesperson Prakschet Thapa Chhetri acknowledged the ongoing preparations for the revised tender, emphasizing the intricate and sensitive nature of the procurement. He described the PMO's interest as a "constructive and supportive gesture" and assured transparency once the tender details are finalized.

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Our technical team is working intensively. Given the intricate and highly sensitive nature of this procurement, thorough preparation is mandatory. Once finalised, the details will be released transparently into the public domain. We view the prime minister’s office’s interest as a constructive and supportive gesture.