Track and Trace system: FBR issues instructions for licence seekers

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued detailed instructions for applicants, who intend to seek license for providing IT-based solutions for electronic monitoring (Track and Trace system) for tobacco products, sugar, fertilizer and cement.

According to the FBR, the Board is seeking applications for the grant of five-year license(s) under Licensing Rules, 2019 (as amended from time to time) of Track and Trace System/Solutions for electronic monitoring of tobacco products, sugar, fertilizer and cement, manufactured or imported in Pakistan.

The applicant shall demonstrate that his annual turnover has been at least US$50 million in each of the last 3 calendar years, the FBR said.

In order to prevent leakage of federal tax revenue and under-reporting of production and sales of tobacco, cement, sugar and fertilizer products (the "Goods") and to ensure proper payment of duties/taxes on the manufacture and sale of the Goods, FBR is mandated to licence the development, implementation, operation and maintenance of a track and trace system (the "System"). The System shall cover all Goods manufactured in and imported into Pakistan and also products manufactured in Pakistan for export.

The System shall include a secure, dedicated smart mobile phone application enabling duly authorized representatives of FBR and of other Pakistan Government agencies automatic authentication of a UIM and capturing traceability information in both offline and online modes.

The licensee(s) will be responsible for end-to-end installation and operation of a Track and Trace System/ Solutions connecting manufacturing sites and import stations to the FBR's Central Control Room (CCR). The Track and Trace System/Solutions would include the provision of tax stamps and integrated codes to enable real-time electronic monitoring of above products throughout Pakistan.

The System must enable FBR to: a) Monitor production activities of the concerned production lines, factory premises and designated import stations; b) Generate near real-time information about volumes of the Goods produced at the manufacturing lines; c) Obtain validated information during manufacturing that will support the correct collection of applicable taxes levied on the Goods; d) Collect validated inputs at manufacturing for determination of the origin and legal status of the Goods after manufacturing.

Instructions for Licensing (IFL)/document can be collected from the FBR s on any working day through written application. All the applicants shall submit their technical and financial proposals in sealed envelopes separately, which will be evaluated as per evaluation criteria given in the IFL and related annexures.

Sealed applications/ proposals must be delivered by or before 1600 hours (PST) on 19th December, 2020 at the address given below, which shall be opened on same date at 1630 hours in the presence of the authorized representatives of applicants, who may choose to be present.

A Pre-licensing conference shall be held at FBR-HQ, Islamabad at 1100 hrs on 4th December, 2020 in the Conference Room, FBR(HQ), Islamabad. The FBR reserves the right to accept or reject the applications as per the Licencing Rules, 2019 (as amended from time to time).

The applicants responding to the Instructions (the "Applicant") must ensure that the System being offered is suitable for monitoring, in real or near-real time, in the production lines as well as six designated import stations for the Goods, the FBR added.

The data and other information obtained directly or indirectly from the manufacturer and/or importers of the Goods or otherwise including information transmitted through any means shall be the property of FBR and the Licensee shall not disclose this data and other information to any third party without prior approval of the FBR.

The licensee shall not sell or commercially exploit the above data or use it for any other purposes then of the License. The Licensee will be responsible for maintaining confidentiality of System data, mitigation of data breaches and will bear all associated costs. 8.3 Confidentiality obligations will extend to the Licensee personnel and to any third parties or affiliates involved in the provision of the System or services, with the Licensee retaining primary responsibility for any breach of confidentiality, the FBR added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020