The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has granted the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training permission to procure 200,000 refurbished Chromebooks through open competitive bidding while exempting the process from certain standard procurement rules.
BR reported that the decision was made following a request from the ministry on October 10, 2024, seeking PPRA’s approval to buy refurbished Chromebooks at significantly lower prices.Â
The ministry argued that the initiative is part of its efforts to improve the IT infrastructure of schools and colleges in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), which include upgrading IT labs with modern equipment such as laptops, smart screens, and Chromebooks.
Citing budget constraints, the ministry highlighted that new laptops cost over Rs200,000 and new Chromebooks exceed Rs100,000, making them financially unfeasible for large-scale distribution. Refurbished Chromebooks, priced between Rs5,000 and Rs15,000, were presented as a cost-effective alternative tailored for educational purposes.
However, PPRA’s standard procurement rules, outlined in Clause 18 of the General Conditions of the Contract, require goods to be new, unused, and of the latest models, effectively barring the purchase of refurbished items. To address this, the ministry sought an exemption under Section 21 of the PPRA Ordinance, 2002.
Following deliberations, the PPRA board unanimously approved the exemption, allowing the ministry to proceed with the procurement of refurbished Chromebooks in multiple tranches through open competitive bidding.Â
The decision is aimed at minimizing the financial burden on the national exchequer while providing affordable IT solutions to thousands of students in ICT schools and colleges.
