To support non-metropolitan businesses, contracts will be awarded to companies in declining population areas and non-metropolitan regions when their eligibility scores are equal. Additionally, direct contracts for research equipment related to the Super Innovation Economy Project will be permitted.
The Ministry of Finance and Economy announced on July 21 that it will publicly announce a partial amendment to the "Enforcement Decree and Rules of the National Contract Law" by the end of next month. Following public feedback, reviews by the Legislation Office, and discussions at the vice-ministerial and cabinet meetings, the legislation will be finalized and implemented.
To address regional disparities, support for non-metropolitan businesses will be strengthened. When conducting eligibility assessments, if the price and performance evaluation results are the same, companies from declining population areas and non-metropolitan regions will be prioritized for contract awards. Furthermore, the limit for direct contracts for individuals in declining population areas will be raised from 20 million won to 50 million won.
There are also plans to accelerate national research and development projects. The limit for direct contracts for research equipment related to national R&D projects will also increase from 20 million won to 50 million won. Additionally, direct contracts for research equipment related to 15 projects designated by the Minister of Finance and Economy will be allowed, aiming to reduce the time required for equipment procurement.
Measures to prevent indiscriminate bidding by shell companies are also included. If there are reasonable grounds to suspect a bidder is unreliable, they will be excluded from the exemption for bid security deposits. Bidders who fail to submit evaluation documents without justifiable reasons or who withdraw from the evaluation will have their eligibility to participate in bidding restricted.
Moreover, the evaluation method for bidders in the same category will shift from a simplified comprehensive evaluation system to a technical eligibility assessment system, enhancing the transparency of public contract awards. This change aims to expand opportunities for capable companies by evaluating those who bid at lower prices first.
To prevent collusion, the period for restricting bidding eligibility will be increased by six months. As a result, the restriction period for leading colluders will extend from one year to one year and six months, while for simple participants, it will increase from six months to one year.
A Ministry of Finance and Economy official stated, "Even after this revision, we will continue to listen to the voices from the field to establish a fair competitive order and alleviate the management burdens on businesses, thereby continuously improving the contract system."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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