Purchase of NG Firewalls and Enterprise Switches (NADRA-HQ-RFB-121/2026)

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) invites sealed bids for the procurement of Next Generation (NG) Firewalls and Enterprise Network Switches under tender number NADRA-HQ-RFB-121/2026. This procurement is planned for the financial year 2026-27 and will be conducted through the e-Pak Acquisition and Disposal System (EPADS) v2.0 platform. The procurement follows a National Single Stage-Two Envelope procedure with Least Cost Based Selection (LCBS) technique in accordance with Public Procurement Rules, 2004. Items being procured: - Firewall compatible with existing firewall for High Availability (HA) with 5 years hardware warranty and support (Quantity: 1 each for two different models) - Enterprise 48-Port 10G Layer 3 Network Switch with 5 years hardware warranty and support (Quantity: 2) - Procurement of NG Firewalls including 5 years of support, warranty, and UTM/ATP subscriptions (Quantity: 2) The technical scope includes supply, installation, configuration, and commissioning of firewalls and switches compatible with existing infrastructure. The equipment must have 5 years hardware warranty and 24x7 technical support directly from the OEM. The firewalls must support advanced security features including UTM/ATP subscriptions, SSL/TLS inspection, IPv4/IPv6 configurations, and high throughput performance. The switches must be data center grade with 48 x 1G/10G ports, dual hot-swappable power supplies, and support for advanced routing protocols and QoS. Eligibility criteria require bidders to be registered firms in Pakistan with valid NTN, GST registration, and active on the FBR ATL list. Bidders must be equipment manufacturers or authorized partners/distributors and submit original bid security. Experience in network and security solutions supply and installation is mandatory. Bidders must also provide compliance sheets and technical documentation as per the bidding documents. Key dates include a pre-bid meeting on October 13, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the State Bank of Pakistan Building, Islamabad. The bid submission deadline is October 26, 2026, at 11:00 AM via EPADS v2.0, with bid opening at 11:30 AM the same day. Manual bids will not be accepted. Bidders are advised to carefully review the detailed bidding documents available on EPADS and ensure timely submission of all required documents and bid security. Participation requires registration on EPADS v2.0. This procurement offers a significant opportunity for qualified suppliers to provide critical network security infrastructure to NADRA in Islamabad. One practical tip: Ensure your technical compliance sheets are fully completed, signed, and stamped as partial compliance will lead to disqualification. Also, register early on EPADS v2.0 to avoid last-minute submission issues.