Posted By Dhruv Sagar | May 8, 2025 | Global Tender
In the sphere of public procurement, which deals with procurement of goods, works and services for the government and financed by State budget funds, one of the significant principles is transparency, non-Bias and accountability, and here, an important role plays an institution called Central Tenders Committee. Public procurement refers to the purchasing of goods, services, and works by procuring entities who are normally affiliated to the government. It is for this reason that this process needs to be regulated and followed as set down to avoid misuse, embezzlement and slowdowns. The Central Tenders Committee is a central institution for the implementation of these goals.
At Bid Detail we try to demystify the entire tenders and procurement by providing information on various aspects of the tendering environment. This paper aims at identifying purpose, structure, role and importance of the Central Tenders Committee in the context of public procurement.
A high powered committee sanctioned by the government of India and is vested with the responsibility of assessing, recommending and ratifying tender which are voluminous in nature and floated by different departments, ministries or PSUs. Major procurement decisions are coordinated at a central neck where they are vetted for compliance with the law, fiscal, and other technical requirements.
Usually, each government department might have its own hierarchic procurement committees depending on the scale of a tender. Nonetheless, when the procurements are big or complicated – which depends on the set financial ceiling – the tenders are presented to the Central Tenders Committee. This helps in standardization, compliance with procurement regulations, and protection of public interests.
The structure of the CTC varies slightly depending on the government level (central, state, or municipal) and the department involved. However, a standard CTC often includes:
Chairperson – Usually a senior government official or secretary of a concerned department.
Financial Advisor – An expert from the finance department who evaluates the financial viability of proposals.
Technical Expert(s) – Domain-specific professionals who assess the technical aspects of the tender.
Legal Advisor – To ensure compliance with procurement laws and regulations.
Representative from the User Department – Provides input on the requirement and usage of the procured item or service.
This multi-disciplinary structure ensures a balanced evaluation from different perspectives — administrative, technical, financial, and legal.
The Central Tenders Committee plays a pivotal role in enhancing the integrity and efficiency of the public procurement process. Its core responsibilities include:
The CTC scrutinizes bids submitted by vendors against established criteria. This includes technical specifications, financial bids, past performance, compliance with guidelines, and quality standards.
Based on the evaluation, the committee recommends the most suitable bidder. This decision is usually guided by the principle of the Lowest Evaluated Bidder (L1) — though quality, capability, and compliance are also major considerations.
The CTC has the authority to approve or reject tender proposals. In cases where the bids are not in the public interest or do not meet required standards, the committee can advise re-tendering.
By bringing together experts from multiple disciplines, the CTC helps identify and mitigate risks related to vendor performance, cost escalations, legal disputes, and project delays.
One of the most critical roles of the committee is to promote fair competition and prevent bias, favoritism, or corruption in tender awards.
In certain cases, the Central Tenders Committee may also contribute to shaping procurement policies and suggest improvements based on their experience and observations.
It also checks expenditure by scrutinizing how some of the public funds are used and this is made through the CTC. It has a structure that makes it easy to hold departments and vendors responsible for their actions and poor performance.
One must acknowledge that the committee is working a lot and stratifies the bids so that the government will not overpay for something while, at the same time, not sacrificing performance.
Some people may fear that involving a centralized body may be time-consuming, but in fact, the CTC make the procurement for large- scale projects effective since it eliminates the possibility of making numerous mistakes and aids departments in undertaking tenders.
It also plays the dual role of discouraging those involved in any corrupt conduct in the course of discharging their duties. Its importance lies in the fact that all the stakeholders follow the right procedures and are subjected to the same measure.
By facilitating the timely and efficient procurement of materials, services, and works, the Central Tenders Committee indirectly supports national development goals — including infrastructure, education, healthcare, and more.
Despite its importance, the CTC is not without challenges:
Overburdening: In some cases, the CTC may handle multiple high-value tenders simultaneously, causing delays in approvals.
Lack of Digitization: In regions where e-procurement systems are not fully implemented, the CTC''s work can become manually intensive and less transparent.
Skill Gaps: Not all members may have updated knowledge about new technologies or evolving market dynamics, especially in technical tenders.
Resistance from Departments: Occasionally, user departments may resist CTC recommendations if they feel their specific needs are being overlooked.
At Bid Detail, we empower vendors, contractors, and suppliers to access and participate in government tenders confidently. By offering:
Real-time updates on central and state tenders
Categorized tender listings across industries
Expert support for document preparation and bid submission
Notifications for tenders requiring Central Tenders Committee approval
We make sure that businesses not only identify such profitable opportunities but are also ready to understand and implement the rules given by the companies like the CTC.
Central Tenders Committee has emerged as a useful component in the procurement system of India. It introduced professionalism, accountability, and order into high-risk procurement processes to ensure that funds available are spent wisely and properly. This means that by following the rules of the committee and seeking to be a part of it, vendors as well as the departments could improve the overall procurement process.
For any business involved in government tenders or a professional who is in direct touch with public procurement, it is crucial to be aware of institutions such as the Central Tenders Committee. When tendering, you are not alone as Bid Detail guides you all through the compliance, competitiveness, and understandability stages.
