Malawi’s central bank is inviting bids for the supply, installation and commissioning of a cross-border foreign exchange reporting system (CFERS) and for the supply, installation and commissioning of a transformer and ring main unit.

The bank is also looking to appoint a contractor to supply, install and commission a fire detection and alarm system at its Lilongwe head office and branch office in Blantyre, the country’s commercial capital.

In a statement, the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) says the CFERS it intends installing will be a customised version of the South African Reserve Bank’s financial flows reporting system and will interface with the systems of authorised foreign exchange dealers in the country and the tax collection body, the Malawi Revenue Authority.

“Bidding will be conducted [in line with] international competitive bidding procedures . . . and is open to all interested parties,” the RBM says in its statement, adding that bid documents, in English, are obtainable on payment of MK5 000 (about $8).

Bidding for both the CFERS project and the transformer and ring main unit project closes on July 21.

The RBM says of the fire detection and alarm system project: “The purpose . . . is to design, supply, install and commission an automated fire detection and alarm system at the Lilongwe head office and at the Blantyre branch. “The project aims at providing potential fire detection and alarm systems suppliers with a platform to review the two sites and make proposals for an effective solution.

“The review should clearly indicate the fire detection and alarm system requirements . . . and how the proposed solution can be implemented [and interlinked] with other safety and security systems already installed at the two sites.

“The proposals should also indicate the responsibilities of the bank and of the supplier in order to implement a workable fire detection and alarm system that is in conformity with the country’s laws.”

Technical and financial proposals must be delivered to the bank by August 4.