Five global security printing firms have submitted bids for Nepal’s e-passport contract worth multibillion rupees. The bid documents were opened Friday by the Department of Passports (DOP). IDEMIA, which has been supplying Nepal with its passports since 2010, is up against other firms like IRIS Corporation, Muhlbauer Group, and Veridos.
The total budget is Rs 12 billion, which would end up providing 6.4 million passports in five years through the winning bidder. The technical bids are being reviewed by a committee that will take about 15 days to complete the process. The whole process from the final evaluation may take 45 days at the maximum, during which complaints and negotiations can continue.