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The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has announced that it will conduct a third-party evaluation of the federal government’s cashless economy program. The ministry has invited applications from firms to independently review and audit the initiative’s design, execution, impact, and governance structure through an international competitive bidding process.
According to the official document, the government has launched a major national program aimed at shifting from a cash-based system to a fully digital and cashless economy. The initiative aims to improve transparency, strengthen public service delivery, reduce transactional leakages, and expand financial inclusion across the country. The plan also includes the development of Digital Public Infrastructure, allowing citizens to make digital payments through the RAAST system and access government services using a unified digital identity.
Scope of the Consultancy’s Evaluation
The Request for Proposals specifies that the selected consultancy will carry out a detailed assessment of the program’s strategy, progress, and overall effectiveness. The firm will examine whether the initiative is moving in line with its objectives and recommend corrections where required. The assignment also involves reviewing institutional arrangements, identifying challenges during implementation, and suggesting improvements to policies and governance.
The cashless economy program includes measures to support merchants nationwide in accepting digital payments. This will be done by introducing QR codes, lowering transaction fees, and reducing duties on payment-related equipment. The initiative also aims to speed up fiber optic network expansion by bringing Right of Way charges down to zero, a step already adopted by Pakistan Railways, the National Highway Authority, and the Capital Development Authority.
The document states that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is directly supervising the progress of the initiative through regular review meetings. A high-level steering committee has been formed to monitor developments, working under his direction. The committee operates through three sub-committees chaired by the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, the Federal Minister for IT, and the Federal Secretary of the Finance Division.
Key Deliverables and Reporting Timeline
The RFP outlines several key deliverables that the chosen firm must submit within set deadlines:
- The Inception Report is due within one week of the start and will outline the work plan.
- The Initial Assessment Report, due within six weeks, will review the current status and identify gaps.
- The Interim Recommendation Report, due four weeks after the initial assessment, will provide improvement and correction suggestions.
- The Second Assessment Report, expected eight weeks later, will evaluate the implementation of the earlier recommendations.
- The Final Report, due five weeks after the second assessment, will summarize expected and actual results and offer recommendations for long-term sustainability.
Proposals will be evaluated under the Quality and Cost Based Selection method, which assigns an 80 percent weightage to technical proposals and 20 percent to financial bids. Only firms securing at least 70 points in the technical evaluation will qualify for the financial stage. The firm with the highest combined score will be recommended for the contract, subject to approval and negotiations.
The Ministry of IT and Telecommunication will oversee the entire process, while the government will fund the assignment. The RFP stresses strict confidentiality, stating that all reports and data will remain the property of the government. It also requires participating firms to disclose any potential conflicts of interest, warning that failure to do so may result in disqualification.
