NTA seeks ₹7.5 crore security contract for its premises
What's the story
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has invited a tender worth ₹7.5 crore to hire a security firm. The firm will provide round-the-clock security for its headquarters at Minto Road, regional office in Okhla, and other notified locations. The tender was issued on July 25 and is part of a larger procurement exercise that includes security, housekeeping, and examination-grade printing services.
Contract details
Initial 2-year contract with extension possibility
The security contract will initially be for two years, with the possibility of two one-year extensions.
Bids are due by 3:00pm on August 17 for the security tender and by August 20 for the printing-services tender.
The selected agency will be responsible for monitoring NTA employees, visitors, premises, confidential examination material, server rooms, strong rooms, warehouses, record rooms, and other sensitive facilities.
Tech integration
Quality-and-cost based selection model
The security measures will include door-frame and hand-held metal detectors, GPS-enabled guard patrol tracking, biometric attendance, and digital incident-reporting systems.
The NTA has opted for a quality-and-cost-based selection model for this tender, giving 70% weightage to technical capability and 30% to financial bids.
Only agencies scoring at least 70 marks in the technical assessment will proceed to the financial round.
Eligibility requirements
Eligibility criteria for bidders
Bidders must have a minimum of five years' experience in professional security and an average annual turnover of ₹10 crore over the last three financial years.
They should also have prior experience working with high-security establishments like central government institutions, examination agencies, universities, airports, hospitals, or metro systems.
An earnest money deposit of ₹15 lakh is required from bidders, while the successful agency must provide performance security equal to 5% of the contract value.
Confidentiality clause
Tender emphasizes confidentiality, especially after paper leak incident
The tender emphasizes confidentiality, requiring service providers to protect information related to examination material, security arrangements, and IT systems even after the contract ends.
This move comes in the wake of a recent paper leak incident that exposed vulnerabilities in India's largest entrance examination system.
The NTA's decision to tighten security measures is aimed at restoring public confidence and preventing future breaches.