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Floating a Request for Proposal (RFP) in the Rajasthan Government is a meticulous process involving careful planning, documentation, and inter-departmental coordination. Recently, I completed this process and want to share my experience — from drafting the RFP to getting it published — to help others navigating similar workflows.

Step 1: Drafting the RFP

• Start with Reference Material: I began by referring to an old RFP for the basic structure and customized it per our new requirements.
• Key Content Finalized:
  • Subject Matter of Procurement: Clearly state the title of the RFP.
  • Bid Procedure: We chose the Single Stage, Single Part approach.
  • Bid Evaluation Criteria: Selected Least Cost Based selection (L1).
  • Estimated Procurement Cost: This is crucial — we calculated ours by taking the previous bid’s price and adding about 10% inflation (keep supporting documents ready for audit purposes).
  • Bidding and Processing Fees: Consult your procurement team for accurate values.
  • Bid Security: Typically, this is about 2% of the estimated cost.
  • Important Dates: Set the start and end date for bid sale carefully. After the sale start date passes, you cannot alter the BoQ (Bill of Quantities) — if changes arise, you’ll have to cancel and float a new tender.
  • Bid Opening Date: For smaller bids, we kept this on the same day as the bid sale closure.

Step 2: PC-III Meeting Preparation

• Notesheet Creation: I prepared a notesheet to initiate the PC-III (Procurement Committee) meeting — a must for final decisions.
• PC-III Timelines: Start this early, in parallel with other drafting work, as convening the committee can take time.
• Meeting Outcome: Our PC-III was prompt, and the Minutes of Meeting (MoM) were signed the next day.

Step 3: BoQ Preparation Coordination

• Communication: Once the NIB (Notice Inviting Bid), RFP, and MoM are signed, I emailed the BoQ team — always attach your BoQ format for reference.

Step 4: Obtaining the UBN (Unique Bid Number)

• Request to eProc Team: Email the eProc team to get your UBN, specifying Bid Type and SubType clearly in the request.

Step 5: Creating the Tender on eProc Portal

• Browser Compatibility Tip: If you’re using Edge, set it to IE mode for best performance.
• Digital Signature: The Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) of your Officer-in-Charge is mandatory for tender creation.

Step 6: Final Publishing Steps

• Portal Uploads: After the tender’s creation, send the RFP and NIB to the OIC (Officer-in-Charge) Websites team for uploading on all required portals.
• Newspaper Publication: Draft an official letter to the Director, DIPR, along with the NIB notice, requesting its publication in leading newspapers. Send this letter and draft NIB via email.

Key Tips & Takeaways

• Documentation: Maintain proof for estimated costs and all procurement decisions to avoid audit issues later.
• Coordination: Start internal approval processes (like PC-III meetings) early to prevent project delays.
• Technical Details: Be mindful of technical settings (browser, DSC) on the eProc portal.
• Irrevocability of BoQ Start Date: Once the sale start date of the bidding begins, the BoQ can’t be changed without canceling and refloating the tender.
• Checklists: Use checklists for all communication and approvals — small oversights can cause major delays.

This real-life flow should help you understand not just what to do, but also why each step matters, and where to be extra careful in government RFP processes.

Useful Links:
Rajasthan eProcurement Portal