The Department of eGovernment in the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, in collaboration with the Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC), is conducting project requirement-gathering sessions for the development of an Electronic Auctions Platform (EAP) in Blantyre.

The sessions have brought together representatives from various government ministries, departments and agencies, including the National Registration Bureau and the Companies, Registrations and Intellectual Property Centre (CRIPC), alongside the contractor, CSM Tech, to identify and agree on the requirements for the platform.

A cross-section of the meeting

The EAP is being developed as part of the implementation of the Commercial Transaction Manual (CTM), prepared under the Digital Malawi Acceleration Project (DMAP). The CTM provides a structured, transparent, and replicable framework for commercial transactions under Component I: Affordable Broadband and Secure Data Hosting, which targets the connection of approximately 2,000 schools and 500 government sites, as well as the construction of up to 100 cellular towers in underserved and rural areas.

Upon completion, the EAP will provide a secure, web-based system for managing competitive auctions digitally and in real time. It will replace paper-based and semi-manual processes with features such as electronic bid submission, automated bid ranking, bidder anonymity, and publication of results.

The platform is expected to strengthen transparency, accountability, and auditability in competitive auctions, while improving price discovery and promoting fair competition in the procurement of high-value digital infrastructure.

The initiative forms part of the Government’s broader efforts to leverage digital technologies to improve public sector processes and support transparent and efficient implementation of digital infrastructure investments.