TTD adopts online tender system for procurement of raw materials

The IT-savvy TTD has already bid adieu to the offline tender system and espoused ‘e-tendering’ system injecting more transparency in the procedure

‘e-procurement’ - is now the buzzword of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) whose annual purchase of raw materials that go into the making of laddu and other anna prasadams runs anywhere between ₹450 to ₹500 crores a year.

Taking into cognizance the gargantuan volume of its requirements, the IT-savvy TTD has already bid adieu to the offline tender system and espoused ‘e-tendering’ system injecting more transparency in the procedure.

The TTD has a robust procurement system in place that sans any kind of human interference.

Tenders are invited online and consignments received are stocked in the monolithic godowns spread at a two acre site in the vicinity of Alipri in Tirupati after undergoing a thorough testing process.

According to the records, the TTD annually purchases about 61,50,000 kilograms of ghee, sugar (14,400 tonnes), Bengal gram dal (9,200 tonnes), Sona Masuri slender variety rice (4,680 tonnes), toor dal (1,200 tonnes), dried grapes (540 tonnes), cashew splits (144 tonnes), cardamom (162 tonnes) in addition to 1,04,000 tins of refined Sunflower oil each weighing 15 kilograms, red gram dal (876 tonnes) green gram dal (284 tonnes) black gram dal (215 tonnes) jaggery 1,300 tonnes) seedless and fibre less tamarind (237 tonnes) mustard seeds (61.68 tonnes) coriander seeds (54.75 tonnes) black pepper (25.55 tonnes) turmeric powder (25.55 tonnes) and other ingredients for use at the temple of Lord Venkateswara as well as under its pet Nitya Annadanam scheme.

According to stipulations only those who are registered with A.P. Technological Services are alone eligible to take part in the tenders.

The participants have to qualify both the technical and financial bids before being awarded with the contract. Submission of annual turnover certificate attested by a registered Chartered Accountant by the suppliers is mandatory.