GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF CUSTOMS
Tripureshwor, Kathmandu
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
REOI No.:
DOC/06-071/72
Software System for Importer Exporter Code
Date of issue: 9 March 2015
Government of Nepal
Ministry of Finance
Department of Customs
Tripureshwor, Kathmandu
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Software System for Importer Exporter Code (REOI No.: DOC/06-071/72)
Date of first publication: 9 March 2015
The Government of Nepal, Department of Customs, requests for Expression of Interest (REOI) from eligible
and interested consulting firms, without any conflict of interest, for the development of a Software System for
Importer Exporter Code within 4 months as well as provide back-stopping and training on its operation over
3 years. The budget for this project has been allocated by Government of Nepal.
Interested firms should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and
relevant experience to perform the services. The detailed short listing criteria are annexed while the major
headings are:
 Business objective and expertise of the firm
 Corporate capacity of the firm over the last 3 years
 General work experience of the firm over the last 3 years
 Similar work experience of the consulting firm and its complexity.
 A list of relevant personnel with qualification, experience and association with the firm.
 Commitment for adherence to the code of ethics.
Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their
qualifications. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Selection based on the Quality and Cost
Based Selection (QCBS) method set out in the Public Procurement Act 2063.
Further information and the REOI document can be obtained at the address below during office hours.
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below in person, by mail, by fax, or
by e-mail by 25 March 2015.
Project Management Office, Department of Customs, Tripureshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
Attn:
Er. Ram Hari Regmi
Telephone: +97714259942
Facsimile: +97714259808
E-mail:
pmu@customs.gov.np
Web page: www.customs.gov.np
Annex 1: Terms of Reference
DEVELOPMENT OF SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR IMPORTER EXPORTER CODE (IEC)
1.
BACKGROUND
In order to facilitate imports and exports, it is necessary to identify authorized importers and exporters and
to keep track of their profile and compliance with regulations. In absence of a unique identification of the
business firms, PAN is being used by the customs offices in Nepal and the Kolkata Port Customs Office in
India. As the purpose of PAN is quite different, it cannot signify whether the bearer is a bonafide importer or
exporter.
Introducing Importer and Exporter Code (ICE) mitigates the above mentioned problems of identifying and
tracking importer/exporter activities. Countries, including neighboring India and China, have been using this
mechanism for quite some time to register authorized importers/exporters and identify them. Hence,
Department of Customs (DOC) within Ministry of Finance and Department of Commerce and Supply
Management (DOCSM) within Ministry of Commerce and Supplies are in the process of implementing IEC
system in Nepal as a trade facilitation measure compatible with the international practice.
The IEC will be a specific unique primary code issued by DOCSM to Nepalese business firms. The code
will become the primary identification of a firm as an Exporter/Importer recognized by government
authorities.
Some of the advantages of IEC are as follows:














It creates the whole database of Importer and Exporter in one single system. This facilitates keep track
their monitoring on real time.
It also provides real time data exchange to other systems of government agencies to minimize illegal
trade and transport.
It provides facilitation to the real importer and exporter with high level of their financial activities.
It minimizes the number of processes to import and export, and also reduces number of document to
require authorizing from government sector.
It makes the platform to implement AEO (Authorized Economic Operator).
It helps in CTD Automation.
Mandatory and necessary input instead of PAN Field for the ASYCUDA World: upcoming system of
DOC.
The system will work in Intranet and the Internet; hence, it provides online submission of application
through the Internet from any location of the world and manages security as well by implementation of
the Intranet for internal users.
This eases to track the importer and exporter with their financial activities within country and abroad.
IEC automation also related to the implementation of the new system of DOC: ASYCUDA World.
IEC helps to conveniently identify importer/exporter and avail benefits they are entitled to.
It helps to monitor and regulate import/export activities by providing transparency.
It helps to check unauthorized or non-compliant importers/exporters.
It helps to maintain database and statistics related to import/export business and make information
available to concerned stakeholders.
Page 2 | 7
In this context, DOC has taken the initiative to develop, host and maintain an IEC information system for
the Government of Nepal, while DOCSM would be responsible for operations of the system and providing
IEC registrations for authorized importers/exporters. The IEC database system would be helpful to identify
importers and exporters and provide their necessary details to customs offices, mainly the Calcutta port of
India from Nepal.
2.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this assignment are the following:
A. To design, develop, deploy and maintain computerized information system for online IEC registration of
importers and exporters of Nepal.
B. To develop and maintain an Importer-Exporter database based on the IEC registrations.
C. To implement electronic workflow for IE code generation and certification of authorized importers and
exporters by DOCSM and maintain their digital records.
D. To synchronize business registration and tax details of importers and exporters with Company
Registrar’s Office and Inland Revenue Department.
E. To share information about importer/exporter based on IEC with concerned stakeholders and
designated government organizations as agreed within Nepal and abroad.
F. To develop a robust and light system with a user friendly interface which can interact with other
systems operating by other government and non-government agencies.
3.
SCOPE
The scope of work for the consulting firm shall include the following activities:
A. Stakeholder consultation at DOC, DOCSM, Company Registrar, Department of Inland Revenue, Nepal
Rastra Bank, Commercial banks dealing with Letter of Credit and Chamber of Commerce to
understand the present business registration, licensing, PAN registration, LC opening prerequisites and
the bottlenecks.
B. Prepare System Requirement Specification (SRS) and System Design Document (Architecture,
Interface, Database, etc.).
C. Develop a fully functional and debugged web-based software application based on the requirements for
IEC within 4 months.
D. Prepare System Administrator Manual and User Manual for the system.
E. Suggest the specifications of the necessary computer hardware to be procured to launch the system.
F. Install, debug, run the developed software application.
G. Provide support and maintenance services for corrective, preventive, adaptive, perfective
maintenances for 3 years of lunching of the system.
H. Provide necessary training to relevant DOCSM, Importer/Exporter and DOC staff to operate and
maintain the system.
I.
Explore if the database could be stored using the resources at GIDC.
Page 3 | 7
4.
IMPLEMENTATION PLATFORM
For the compatibility with the existing software at DOC, the programming language shall be JAVA and
database shall be on ORACLE.
5.
DELIVERABLES
The consulting firm is expected to deliver the following:
A. 5 copies of the software in appropriate transportable device;
B. Installation and simultaneous operation of the software in servers and about 100 computer consoles;
C. Printed and bound copies of Users Manual (100), database manuals (10) and Server Administration
Manual (10);
D. Soft Copies of all manuals should be provided in appropriate media.
E. 5 number of presentations at venues provided by the Client on data elements, data sources, capture
mechanism, data flow diagram, data storage, data security, integration with other systems, possible
source of trouble and their rectification, specific skills required to run and operate the system;
6.
REPORTING
A. Inception Report with work plan and manning schedule within 2 weeks of the Effective Date;
B. Weekly reporting on the work progress to the Client’s designated official;
C. 5 copies of printed and bound copy of monthly report;
D. Draft Final Report with a working software within 3 months of Effective Date and its presentation at a
venue offered by the Client;
E. Final Report after incorporating comments received on the Draft Final Report and with the ready to run
software.
7.
SERVICE DURATION
The duration of this assignment is estimated to be 40 calendar months: 4 months to develop and install the
software and intermittent inputs over next 36 months for on-call technical support.
8.
FORM OF CONTRACT
The form of contract will be Time Based.
9.
TEAM COMPOSITION
The team consisting of many key members will be lead by the Systems Analyst from the consulting firm.
This expert shall have more than 3 years of professional experience as a System Analyst cum Team
Leader for system development projects of similar nature and scale as this task. Experience and
knowledge of system analysis and design; system security; database analysis and design; web application
design, development and deployment with database; system development environments; and quality
assurance is mandatory.
Page 4 | 7
The other key member, database designer and developer shall have experience in providing backstopping
support for Oracle software and other software integrated with at least 2 other systems. He/she shall have
a proven track record on database management and database securities with Oracle DB. This key-expert
will be rendering about 4 person-months of input.
The Software Developer shall have sound theoretical and practical background on JAVA. He/she shall
have at least 3 years of experience in developing web-based applications with JAVA integrating multiple
systems for agencies. Excellent knowledge of Oracle database with JAVA programming language and
knowledge of system securities is essential. This expert is expected to render about 8 person-months of
input.
The web designer shall have sound knowledge on the web based system design, and the person should
work with software developer as a team work. This expert is expected to render about 2 person-months of
input.
To fulfill the objective and scope of services, the consulting firm shall provide adequate logistic and
technical support to their key and non-key experts such as System Analyst, Database Designers, Database
Developers, Software Developers, Web Designers, IT Technicians, and other non key staffs for trainings,
documentations as well as supporting staffs.
For the sustainability of the system for 3 years, the System Developer and IT Technician will be connected
to the system after its implementation. For the first year, Java Developer is expected to render about 4
man-months. For second and third year, the Java Developer is expected to render about 1 man-month for
each year. Similarly, for the first, second and third year, IT Technician will be render 4, 2 and 1 manmonths respectively.
10.
FACILITIES TO BE PROVIDED BY THE CLIENT
In order to support the consulting firm, DoC will provide the following:
A. A Liaison officer to facilitate the discussions with the government authorities and other agencies;
B. Introductory letter to stakeholders to introduce and authorize the consultants to observe the operation
of the systems to be integrated
C. Venue for the presentation will be provided.
Page 5 | 7
Annex 2: Synopsis of Evaluation Criteria
General scoring [maximum score 100, passing score 70]

Business objective and expertise of the firm [mandatory criteria]
 Registration as IT Consultant;
 VAT/PAN Registration;
 Tax clearance up to FY 2070/071;
 Firm's Contact Information;
 Engagement in all of the following streams: System Analyst and design, Systems Security,
Database design and Analysis, Web Applications Design, Development and deployment with
database.

Corporate capacity of the firm over the last 3 years [maximum score: 20]
 Average annual turnovers;
 Value of a relevant completed project.

General work experience of the firm [maximum score: 20]
 Years of establishment (any of the partners in case of JV);
 Proven capacity to develop web-based application with database management system.

Similar work experience of the consulting firm and its complexity [maximum score 50]
 Systems analysis, systems design, workflow design;
 Database design and development using ORACLE;
 Application development for data management, research analysis or specialized solutions;
 Management of high-availability infrastructure, datacenter services, application management, ondemand secure application delivery;
 Data security: physical, network and application security;
 Development and deployment of web based application with database;

A list of relevant personnel with qualification, experience and association with the firm [maximum score:
10]
 Systems Analyst (with experience in system integration, passenger/ freight/ banking information
system, quality assurance of software);
 Database Designer (with experience in backstopping for corporate information system, database
management with Oracle);
 Software Developer (with experience in JAVA and Development of Web-based applications).
 Non-Key Experts (Web Designer, IT Technician).
 Commitment for adherence to the code of ethics (Enclosure of a statement for commitment for
complying to code of ethics) [mandatory criteria]
Page 6 | 7