Ireps Reply to Queries of Prospective Tenderers

Introduction

To enhance transparency in addressing inquiries raised by prospective bidders during the tendering process, Indian Railway has decided to publicly post query and its corresponding reply on the IREPS Portal Instead of selectively determine queries that warrant responses , making them accessible to all bidders.

What is IREPS Reply to Queries? 

The IREPS portal incorporates a specific provision for posting queries and their replies. The responsibility of ensuring the posting of queries and responses on the IREPS portal lies with the tender-inviting authority. However, the actual posting may be executed by an official duly authorised by the system administrator of IREPS for this explicit purpose. This approach aims to uphold openness and fairness throughout the tendering process.

Steps to Post and Reply Queries

The functionality in IREPS enables all  users to access and view the clarifications provided. The following steps outline how to Add, View, and Edit queries: 

1.A dedicated icon (QA) is now available next to each tender in the Live Tenders folder, visible on the Home Page for both Railway Users and Bidders. Additionally, the icon is present in search results. Hovering the mouse cursor over this icon displays a tooltip with the text "Railway’s Reply to Bidders’ Queries."

2.Upon clicking the icon (QA), the corresponding page will open, displaying the query and its reply for the relevant tender. For railway officials assigned the responsibility of updating replies to bidders' queries, clicking the icon (QA) will lead to a page where they can add or edit the reply/query for the tender in question.

3.To post clarifications in response to any bidder query, railway officials can click on the Add/Edit New Query link. This link is exclusively visible to railway officials whose roles have been assigned the function of updating replies to bidders' queries. The assignment of this function can be carried out by the department admin, who can allocate this responsibility to any user within their unit using the Manage Post-Edit Posts functionality, as illustrated in the screenshot below:

4.Selecting the Add/Edit New Query option opens the following interface: The user is required to input the firm's name, the name of the firm’s representative who submitted the query, and the date when the query was received in their respective fields. Subsequently, by clicking the save button, the entered details will be stored. This enables the user to now input queries or clarifications, as depicted below:

Bidder queries and their corresponding replies can be added individually, and all the details entered will be showcased as illustrated below:

The firm’s details can be updated by making modifications and selecting the Update button. Any saved queries or clarifications can be edited or deleted by choosing the Edit  or Delete  button corresponding to the specific query. 

It's worth noting that the saved details persist in draft mode, even if the user logs out during this stage. Upon logging in again, clicking on the Add/Edit New Query option will retrieve the previously saved draft.

5.After adding all the necessary details, the user must click on the Sign & Submit button to conclude the process, digitally sign, and publish the queries/clarifications. It's important to note that once published, clarifications cannot be modified. To introduce a new query, the user needs to click on the Add/Edit New Query link again. This link is not visible to bidders; it is exclusively accessible to railway users whose roles have been assigned the function of updating replies to bidders' queries. All the clarifications are presented to both Bidders and Railway Users, as depicted in the screenshot below: