8 Mandates for Telecom Billing Contract Study Committee: What Will Happen to the Tender?

Kathmandu: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has assigned eight mandates to the committee formed to study the procurement process of Nepal Telecom’s billing system contract.

The seven-member committee, coordinated by former Secretary Maniram Gelal, was formed through a ministerial decision on 30 October. It has been tasked with reviewing the billing contract, Supreme Court directives, and complaints received during the tender process.

According to a ministry source, Minister Jagdish Kharel instructed the committee to begin its work by examining the procedures followed in bid preparation and procurement method selection, as serious questions have been raised over the billing system contract.

The committee is also responsible for studying the technical specifications, evaluation criteria, and bid evaluation of the billing contract. It must not overlook any complaints received during the procurement process, the source added.

In addition, the committee will analyze the Supreme Court’s orders, directives, and verdicts related to the telecom billing contract and review all relevant bid documents.

The study committee includes Joint Secretaries Gaurav Giri and Aadesh Khadka from the Ministry of Communications, and Krishna Raj Pantha, Joint Secretary at the National Vigilance Center. Pradeep Paudyal, Deputy Director at the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, and Kamal Lamichhane, Manager at Nepal Telecom, are also members. Rajesh Kumar Thapa, Under-Secretary for Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Communications, serves as the member secretary.

Minister Kharel initially directed the committee to submit its report within two weeks, but an additional week has been granted as Joint Secretary Pantha is currently abroad. The committee’s office has been set up at Nepal Telecom’s headquarters in Bhadrakali.

On August 31, 2025, Telecom had announced the opening of the price bid on September 15, declaring Huawei as the only technically qualified bidder. However, due to the Gen-Z movement, Telecom postponed the date to September 24.

Just before that, Jagdish Kharel was appointed Minister of Communications on September 22. Two days later, on September 24, Telecom again postponed the bid opening “until further notice,” citing special circumstances.

With the formation of the study committee while Huawei had already been declared technically qualified, the future of the tender remains uncertain.

 

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