New State Procurement System Will Operate in 2010

©image: Don Hankins

Grupo ICE, together with the Technical Secretary for Digital Government and the State Procurement System of Korea will implement the system, so-called Mer-Link.

Krissia Morris writes at Prensa Libre's website: "The first module includes providers registration and product catalog. The second stage will begin on July 2010, when the purchasing processes will start, going from the electronic offer to product delivery".

Source: prensalibre.co.cr

More on this topic

Costa Rica Launches Public Purchase System

August 2010

On 17 August the second phase of the public procurement platform known as Mer-link will become operational.

The launch event will be held at the Crown Plaza Corobici Hotel in the Costa Rican capital, San Jose.

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Costa Rica: 'Dutch Auction'

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Using an electronic procurement system, Mer-Link, the government will promote a 'Dutch auction' or auction to buy at the lowest price.


Alicia Avendaño, director of the Technical Secretariat of Digital Government, told La Prensa Libre, that they will start with an online auction after the first week of September. This procedure has not been previously applied at the level of state purchases.

Rica: Mer-link System Can Now Perform 14 Procedures

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The system for performing government transactions online now allows data about procurement processes to be exchanged between institutions.

There are now 14 procedures that can be done online through the Mer-Link system which has been implemented by the Technical Secretariat of Digital Government.

Costa Rica: Phase II of Public Purchases System in August

July 2010

The second phase of the public purchases system known as “Mer-link” will go live on August 15.

Alicia Avendaño, head of the Technical Secretary of the Digital Government Unit, remarked that 14 state institutions will join the program starting on this date, and that their suppliers will be able to negotiate goods and services on-line.