PURCHASERS at the municipal and district levels have been urged to make their procurement intentions open to the public year-round so that potential suppliers, especially medium, small and micro-sized enterprises, and enterprises overseas, can be aware of the information and make preparations in advance.

This is one of the 10 measures that the city has worked out to help businesses engaged with government procurement resume operations and overcome difficulties brought by the COVID-19 epidemic, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported Thursday. The measures were made public in the latest government gazette.

The 10 measures can be categorized into three aspects, the Daily reported.

They include encouraging banks to give out loans to suppliers; encouraging government purchasers to increase initial or advance payment and exempting suppliers from paying performance bonds; as well as requiring the finance authority and centralized purchasing agencies to support e-procurement and open “green passages” in the procurement of goods, services or construction services related to epidemic prevention and control.

Banks will be given one point for every new loan of 50 million yuan (US$7.07 million) issued to enterprises in 2020, and 1.2 points for every new loan of 50 million yuan issued to small and micro-sized enterprises. Each bank can earn up to three points.

The centralized procurement agencies or their acting agencies shall refund or stop collecting tender bonds to ensure enterprises have sufficient cash flow as businesses get back to work.

Government procurement refers to the procurement of goods, projects and services within the lawfully made centralized procurement lists or above the procurement limits by the government organs, public institutions and bodies with public fiscal funds.

(Han Ximin)