China will develop an online electronic tendering and bidding system to boost efficiency and transparency, said Du Ying, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Bidding and tendering via an electronic platform, which helps save costs and boosts efficiency, could also effectively reduce corruption especially at a time the government is boosting spending to revive economic growth amid the global financial crisis, Du told a tendering industry forum yesterday hosted by the China Tendering and Bidding Association.

One company which supports the online electronic tendering and bidding system is Shanghai Baohua International Tendering Co, China's leading electronic tendering service provider and co-host of the forum.

Its general manager, Zhang Lijiang, said the company helped its clients save on average 27,300 yuan (US$3,996) each compared with using the conventional method where relevant documents and applications forms have to be submitted in person to the bid inviter.

Baohua, a unit of Baosteel Group Corp, launched the nation's first integrated online tendering and bidding platform in December.

"The NDRC would help boost the development of the online tendering and bidding sector as the domestic market is not mature now," Du said.

The government should help develop more certified online tendering platforms and draft related regulations and standards, said Guo Xiaowei, a Beijing-based senior purchasing specialist for the World Bank, which has conducted all sourcing activities via electronic platforms since 2006.

(Shanghai Daily April 29, 2009)