IREPS Railway Tenders Bid Freezing & BOQ Upload Error Fix

Submitting financial offers on the Indian Railways E-Procurement System (IREPS - ireps.gov.in) requires precise preparation of Excel-based Bill of Quantities (BOQ) financial templates and execution of the final Bid Freezing procedure. Failure to correctly freeze a bid or resolving BOQ macro errors can result in technical disqualification.

This guide provides technical solutions for railway contractors to successfully submit financial bids on IREPS.

1. Understanding IREPS BOQ & Bidding Architecture

The financial evaluation on IREPS relies on pre-formatted Excel BOQ files containing automated rate calculations, tax inclusions, and percentage rebate formulas.

[Download Tender BOQ Excel] ➔ [Enable Macros in Excel] ➔ [Enter Financial Rates & Taxes] ➔ [Save BOQ (Do Not Rename)] ➔ [Upload to IREPS] ➔ [Freeze Bid]

2. Resolving Common BOQ Upload Errors on IREPS

Error 1: "Invalid BOQ File / Sheet Protected Error"

• Cause: Renaming the downloaded BOQ file or altering header row structures.
• Solution:
  1. Download a fresh copy of the BOQ Excel file from the tender document page.
  2. Do NOT rename the file name or edit protected column headers.
  3. Enter values only in un-shaded input cells.

Error 2: "Macros Disabled / Security Alert Error"

• Cause: Microsoft Excel blocking VBA macros in downloaded files.
• Solution:
  1. Open Microsoft Excel ➔ Go to File ➔ Options ➔ Trust Center ➔ Trust Center Settings....
  2. Under Macro Settings, select Enable all macros (or Disable VBA macros with notification).
  3. Under Protected View, uncheck Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet.

Error 3: "Invalid Rate / Formula Error on Tax Columns"

• Cause: Inputting currency symbols (₹, $) or text values in numeric rate fields.
• Solution: Enter plain numbers only (e.g., 1450.50). Do not include commas or currency signs.

3. Step-by-Step IREPS Bid Freezing Procedure

Uploading documents on IREPS is NOT equivalent to final bid submission. You must execute the Bid Freezing step.

1. Log into IREPS: Access https://www.ireps.gov.in and log in using your Class 3 DSC token.
2. Open Active Bids: Navigate to E-Tender ➔ My Bids ➔ In-Progress Bids.
3. Upload Technical Documents: Attach PDF files for technical compliance, past performance certificates, and tax documents.
4. Upload Signed Financial BOQ: Click Upload Financial Rate Page / BOQ, select your filled BOQ file, and click Sign & Upload.
5. Execute Bid Freezing:
   • Click the "Freeze Bid" button on the summary screen.
   • Enter your Class 3 DSC USB token PIN when prompted by CrisSigner.
6. Verify Submission Receipt: Upon successful bid freezing, the portal will generate an official Bid Acknowledgement Receipt with a unique digital timestamp. Print and save this receipt.

4. Summary & Best Practices

• Always freeze your bid at least 3 to 4 hours before the tender closing deadline to avoid network congestion.
• Store your official Bid Acknowledgement Receipt for all future tender opening and financial evaluation references.
• Utilize SahayakAI Procurement OS to automate BOQ validation and monitor Indian Railways tender corrigendums in real-time.