New Delhi, Nov 25 (KNN) With a view to providing knowledge on public procurement policy for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) and tips to increase their chances of winning a public sector contract, the MSME-Technology Development Centre, Agra is organising a training programme here. 

The training on ‘How to win tenders’ and public procurement policy for micro and small enterprises is scheduled to be held on November 30, 2014. 

The course content will cover topics such as e-tendering, tender techniques and Public Procurement Policy of the Government of India.

Public Procurement Policy for MSEs was notified in March 2012.  Considering that MSEs are highly susceptible to volatile market conditions, the public procurement policy aims to support MSEs, ensuring a fair share of market to them.

Under the existing dispensation in India, the Government guidelines provide for support in marketing of MSE products through a variety of measures such as price preference, reservation of products for exclusive purchase from MSEs, issue of tender sets free of cost, exemption from payment of earnest money, etc.

In practice, however, these guidelines are not being followed by many Government Departments/ CPSUs, etc in true spirit. Therefore, there was a need for an effective policy which mandates the Central Government Departments /CPSUs to procure necessarily from MSEs.

The Public Procurement Policy for MSEs formulated by the Ministry of MSME and approved by the Cabinet, envisages that every Central Ministry/PSU shall set an annual goal for procurement from the MSE sector with the objective of achieving minimum 20 per cent of the total annual purchases from MSEs in a period of three years. Of this, 4 per cent will be earmarked for procurement from MSEs owned by SC/ST entrepreneurs. (KNN/ST)