Suppliers to Enjoy Free GeBIZ Account

1. With effect from 1 April 2005, all suppliers will enjoy one free user account when they subscribe to GeBIZ, the government's e-procurement portal. This move will especially help the many SMEs making up the 88% of existing GeBIZ subscribers who only have one account. It will also encourage new suppliers to try out GeBIZ for the supply of goods and services to ministries, departments and statutory boards.

2. GeBIZ is the Singapore government's one-stop e-procurement portal. All the public sector's invitations for quotations and tenders are posted on GeBIZ. Suppliers can search for government procurement opportunities, download tender documents, and submit their bids online. GeBIZ allows any supplier to access public sector business opportunities anywhere and anytime with just an Internet connection.

3. Suppliers who wish to subscribe to more than one user account with GeBIZ can continue to do so. Each additional account after the first free user account will be charged at the existing rate of $320 (including GST) per account per year.

4. There are currently 10,000 suppliers who are GeBIZ subscribers. About 5,000 of these have their user accounts expiring on 31 Mar 2005. These suppliers will automatically get one free user account on 1 April 2005. They can renew their additional user accounts, if any, at $320 per user account per year.

5. The other 5,000 existing GeBIZ subscribers have their user accounts expiring only after 31 Mar 2005. These subscribers will be refunded, on a pro-rated basis, for the charges they had paid for their first user accounts.

6. Suppliers who wish to subscribe to GeBIZ or who wish to find out more about the changes can do so at http://www.gebiz.gov.sg

MINISTRY OF FINANCE