SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- B: Bulgaria: Unified Revenue Agency (URA) Information Technology System Technical Assistance
- Notice Date
- 12/3/2002
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- United States Trade and Development Agency, TDA, USTDA, C/O US TDA 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA, 22209-3901
- ZIP Code
- 22209-3901
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-0270053A
- Archive Date
- 1/21/2003
- Point of Contact
- Evangela Kunene, Procument Data Manager, Phone 703-875-4357, Fax 703-875-4009,
- E-Mail Address
-
ekunene@tda.gov
- Description
- POC: Evangela Kunene, Procurement Data Manager, Tel: 703-875-4357, Fax: 703-875-4009 : PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT CONTRACTS OFFICE : Proposal Submission Place: Ms. Maria Murgina, Deputy General Tax Director, General Tax Directorate, Ministry of Finance, 52 Kniaz Dondulkov Blvd., 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria, Ph: 359-2-9859-3005, Fax: 359-2-987-1995. : The Grantee invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the "Proposal") from interested U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to develop a Technical Assistance project on the development of information technology (IT) components of a Unified Revenue Agency (URA) for the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in Bulgaria. Currently, the collection of tax contributions in Bulgaria is left to voluntary compliance by taxpayers. In 2000, enforcement functions of the Tax Administration Unit under the MOF were reduced to the collections of short-term public arrears only, and the collection of long-term arrears were transferred to the Agency for Public Collections. Since this Agency is still taking shape, the arrears collections have been going down. Another problem in the Bulgarian tax administration is that enterprises and self-employed individuals must submit separate reports to the Tax Administration, National Social Security Institute (NSSI), and several other government agencies. This system is not automated, which creates cumbersome and time-consuming duplication of data entry and a waste of resources. In addition, enterprises are not required by law to declare either wages paid or the tax contributions paid on behalf of each employee. This creates significant potential for fraud in the system. For several years, international donors have been helping the government improve its tax administration system, and the proposed URA is the ultimate result of these efforts. The URA is being designed to improve the quality of services to taxpayers and the enforcement of tax legislation. This will create a single point of payment for taxpayers, and will link the disbursements of social security benefits with tax payments. The World Bank supports the establishment of the URA, has started preparing a loan of about $45 million to support its development and has provided grant funding to develop Information Systems Architecture for the URA. Deloitte & Touche (D&T) was hired to develop this Architecture, which was completed in February 2002. The report analyzed several options for the development of the URA. The report recommends several Quick Wins?steps that could be taken quickly and cheaply and would bring rapid benefits. This proposed USTDA assistance assumes that the government will take these steps itself without the help of external consultants. In addition, to the Quick Wins, the D&T study has recommended Strategic Projects, which are defined as large-scale initiatives that would solve critical IT issues. These projects are classified into three categories: 1) Application and Data Projects?to deal with the procurement and implementation of an integrated tax management software; 2) Technology Projects?to work on improvements in the NSSI?s existing technology infrastructure; and 3) Information Systems (IS) Organization Projects?which deal with the organizational and security issues involved with the establishment of the URA. The MOF has already started to address several action items of the above three categories using its own staff, as well as with World Bank and government resources. One local firm has been hired to develop an organizational and operational manual, and the NSSI staff has begun to fully develop the Technology Projects category. Two key items are left uncovered?the identification and procurement of the tax management software, and the development of the IS security concept and its requirements. At this time, neither the MOF nor the World Bank has the funding or skills to undertake these two areas, and therefore both have welcomed USTDA?s assistance. The proposed Technical Assistance with these two areas will help the MOF accelerate the implementation of the URA and the World Bank loan. The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $169,752 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the Terms of Reference, and a background definitional mission report are available from USTDA, at 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA 22209-3901. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, USTDA at 703-875-4009. In the fax, please include your firm?s name, contact person, address, and telephone number. Some firms have found that RFP materials sent by U.S. mail do not reach them in time for preparation of an adequate response. Firms that want USTDA to use an overnight delivery service should include the name of the delivery service and your firm's account number in the request for the RFP. Firms that want to send a courier to USTDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to USTDA before scheduling a pick-up. Please note that no telephone requests for the RFP will be honored. Please check your internal fax verification receipt. Because of the large number of RFP requests, USTDA cannot respond to requests for fax verification. Requests for RFPs received before 4:00 PM will be mailed the same day. Requests received after 4:00 PM will be mailed the following day. Please check with your courier and/or mail room before calling USTDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may bid on this USTDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under USTDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the USTDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the USTDA-financed activity. All goods and services to be provided by the selected firm shall have their nationality, source and origin in the U.S. or host country. The U.S. firm may use subcontractors from the host country for up to 20 percent of the USTDA grant amount. Details of USTDA's nationality requirements and mandatory contract clauses are also included in the RFP. Interested U.S. firms should submit their Proposal in English directly to the Grantee by 4:00 P.M., January 6, 2003 at the above address. Evaluation criteria for the Proposal are included in the RFP. Price will not be a factor in contractor selection, and therefore, cost proposals should NOT be submitted. The Grantee reserves the right to reject any and/or all Proposals. The Grantee also reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for subsequent work related to the project. The Grantee is not bound to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of Proposals.
- Record
- SN00214982-W 20021205/021203213849 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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