Government entertains unsolicited project proposals

Sri Lanka government entertains unsolicited proposals made to implement mega development projects with high foreign investments beneficial for the country under a new procurement system on the lines of 'Swiss Challenge' process, Finance Ministry sources said.

Under the ‘Swiss Challenge' process an unsolicited project proposal made by a company to the government is to be put forward for public opinion and other interested parties are given an opportunity to make counter proposals if there are any, a senior official of the Treasury explained. Deviating from the government‘s policy of following the open bidding procedure to ensure transparency, new guidelines are being prepared for the awarding of project contracts to local and foreign investors without bidding, he added

This new system provides provisions to select suitable investors who submit innovative and high investment project proposals without offers being called for by the government to engage in the country’s development process, he emphasised.

Sri Lanka will follow a 'Swiss Challenge' process to entertain unsolicited proposals made to the government on future procurements, he revealed. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, has directed the Finance Ministry to prepare guidelines under the supervision of ministry advisor R.Paskaralingam. These Guidelines will be on par with Swiss Challenge' process and in line with Government Procurement Guidelines, senior official said.