The Inland Revenue Department in Nepal has invited a fresh global tender for excise duty stickers for tobacco and alcohol products, reports The Kathmandu Post. A tender notice was issued on Oct. 14, and all participants must submit their bids by Nov. 29.
There has been a shortage of excise duty stickers in Nepal since the Indonesian supplier that was selected to supply them did not show up to sign the contract. The second-best bidder, a company from Lithuania, was not offered the contract due to “issues” with the company.
The company has moved to the Supreme Court, arguing that the law states the second bidder should be awarded the contract if the highest bidder does not sign the contract.
“Although the case is still pending in the court, it didn’t stop us from moving forward to call a fresh tender,” said Mukti Pandey, deputy director general at the Inland Revenue Department.