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New GPA Reportedly to Expand Public Works Bidding by US$100B. Annually

2013/12/04 | By Judy Li

The new edition of the WTO  Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) will be effective in Q1 of 2014, which will reportedly expand global public works bidding by US$100 billion or about NT$3 trillion annually.

Since 2009 Taiwan has been a GPA member and in 2010 Taiwan won contracts offered by foreign governments valued at US$500 million, which rose to US$660 million in 2011 and further to US$880 million in 2012, showing an annual growth of over 30% in the last three years.

A range of Taiwanese enterprises have won foreign government contracts over the past three years,  including medical & healthcare, food, lighting, auto parts, machinery & related equipment, renewable energy, building material, e-booking system, engineering technology as well as information technology.

The GPA is a multilateral agreement enabling members to mutually bid on governmental tenders. According to the old edition of GPA, Taiwan allows other GPA members to bid for projects by the Taipei City Government, Kaohsiung City Government and the central government. The new edition requires Taiwan to open wider the public works market to GPA members, and vice versa. (JL)