Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed launched E-Bidding system in National Highway Authority today that will pave the way to ensure transparency in process of award of contracts of NHA schemes. To this effect, a simple ceremony was held at NHA head office addressed by Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Mr. Murad Saeed, Secretary Communications Mr. Zafar Hasan and Chairman NHA Capt ® Sikander Qayyum. Senior officers of Ministry of Communications and National Highway Authority were also present. In his address Murad Saeed said, as per good governance vision of Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Imran Khan, National Highway Authority has started E-Bidding system that will make bidding process transparent, efficient and easy. After coming into power, he recalled, the present government focused on affairs like accountability, transparency and provision of relief to the people and made practical advanced towards E-Governance. He further said, start of E-Bidding by National Highway Authority is encouraging as heavy amounts of billions of rupees are involved in motorways and highways building schemes. He said, NHA is endeavoring to undertake road building projects on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis. He said, Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway project will be started next year. More steps will be taken to bring about improvement in financial and administrative affairs of the NHA, he added. Secretary Communications Zafar Hasan said, NHA has developed a good E-Bidding system in short period that will not only make bidding process transparent, but it will also help save time. In future he said, the performance of the institutions will be evaluated on basis of use of technology continuing he said, pragmatic steps will be undertaken to employ modern techniques in affairs of the authority. Chairman NHA Capt ® Sikander Qayyum said, target given to NHA to bring about transparency has been achieved by launching E-Bidding system in NHA. All the stakeholders were taken on board during development process of this system. In the first phase, the E-Bidding system will be employed on maintenance projects and later with gradual upgradation, its range will be extended to other projects, he added. Salient features of the implementation of E-Bidding system include user account creation, online tender creation, bid submission, tender evaluation and notification of award.