RESTRICTED
GENERAL AGREEMENT GPA/IC/W/7/Add.6
15November 1994
ONTARIFFS AND TRADE
(94-2430)
Original: English Interim Committee onGovernment Procurement
QUESTIONNAIRE ONINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
INGOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT
Response byNorway
Theattached communication contains thereplies from thedelegation ofNorway tothe
questionnaire onInformation Technology inGovernment Procurement contained in
document GPA/IC/W/4/Rev.1, dated 16September 1994.GPA/IC/W/7/Add.6
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INGOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT
Replies received from Norway
1. Could delegations giveabriefdescription ofanystepstaken orplanned tointroduce information
technology (electronic commerce) intopublic procurement? Ifso,doesthiscover contracts which
arecovered under theAgreement presently inforce, orunder thenewly-signed Agreement? Atall
levels ofgovernment? Intheevent thatdelegations arenotconsidering introducing information
technology intopublic procurement, could theyexplain thereasons?
Norway hasduring thepastfewyears taken several stepsinintroducing information technology
(IT)intotheprocess ofpublic procurement. Thestepshavebeentaken inconnection withtheentering
intoforce oftheEEAAgreement, which covers allpublic procurement ofgoods, works andservices
intheEEAcountries overcertain thresholds. Most contracts subject totheGPAwillbecovered since
theEEA Agreement hasamuch broader coverage thanthecurrent GPA.
Standardized forms havebeenprepared forallEEA-covered notices, andthese aretobesent
tothePublications Office (P.O.) inLuxembourg. Acomputer-based programme hasbeendeveloped
which contains forms forprocurement ofgoods andworks ,andthese caneasily beedited, stored and
printed out.These programmes areavailable toallcentral andsub-central entities. Wewillnowbroaden
thisprogramme toalsocontain theforms which aretobeusedforservice contracts, aswellasfor
entities intheutility field. Allcentral stateentities havetonotify theirprocurements intheNorwegian
Gazette, which again sends them tothePublications Office. Wearenowworking onaproject for
electronic tendering intheNorwegian Gazette andtheP.O. Ifthisisrealized, theprogramme will
probably bebased onEDIFACT standards.
Wehaveforthetimebeing noelectronic database containing allpublic procurements. We
are,however, working onascheme where theNorwegian Gazette would havesuchadatabase, since
almost allnotices gothrough them (inaddition tobeing thepublication organ forstateentities, they
alsoassist intranslations ofthenotices from Norwegian toanofficial EUlanguage). TheMinistry
ofIndustry andEnergy isinvolved inapre-project inthisconnection, called the"DOFFIN project".
Thepurpose ofthisproject istoconsider thepossibilities ofestablishing acentral, national database
onpublic procurement. Such adatabase willprobably alsocontain information oncontracts under
thethresholds.
Norway isalsoparticipating intheSIMAP programme oftheEU. TheSIMAP programme
hasseveral projects andsub-projects aimed atdifferent parts oftheprocurement process.
2. What function(s) would information technology serve insuchsystems andwhowillbetheusers?
Themainfunction ofourcurrent systems istosimplify theprocurement process forthebuyers
inprocessing theprocurement notices. TheSIMAP programme, however, hasseveral projects
concerning market monitoring andanalysis, aswellasinformation dissemination programmes, and
information exchange between suppliers andpurchasers.GPA/IC/W/7/Add.6
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3. Could delegations describe thetechnical aspects ofthesystems inuseorplanned? Inparticular
asregards infrastructure/hardware-software anditsoptions/standards?
Thetechnical aspects ofthesystem wehave today: Computer-based, withaminimum
requirement ofIBMcompatibility (386/486) withharddiskandWindows 3.1.
4. Could delegations describe anylimitations affecting access toinformation available inasystem?
Howwideispotential access tointerested suppliers? What aretheaccess possibilities forsuppliers
ofother signatory countries? What possible obstacles toaccess might arise forsuppliers inother
signatory countries?
N/A
5. Hasanythought beengiven tothequestion ofinteraction between electronic tendering and
theobligations concerning publication andtime-limits imposed bytheAgreement?
N/A
6. Forthose delegations whouseadatabase which listsgovernment procurement opportunities:
(i) What isthename ofthisdatabase?
(ii) Howlonghasthedatabase beenoperational andhowmany suppliers usethedatabase?
(iii) Isafeecharged tosuppliers using thissystem? Ifso,howmuch, andwhatisincluded
inthefee?
(iv) Cansuppliers obtain tender documentation electronically? Ifso,how?
(v) How isinformation onthedatabase organized?
(vi) Does thedatabase offer anyother features?
(vii) What istheapproximate number ofprocurement opportunities listed onthedatabase
annually?
(viii) Isthesystem managed bythegovernment oraprivate company?
N/A