Payments for public construction projects are expected to be disrupted due to a fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) in Daejeon. Under current rules, public institutions that order construction work must use the electronic procurement system to pay construction costs. The government plans to revise the relevant enforcement rule and allow it to be applied retroactively so that construction payments are not delayed.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 29th that a fire that broke out at the National Information Resources Service on the 26th has caused disruptions to Subcontract Keeper, which is operated by the Public Procurement Service. As a result, delays are expected in the claims and payments of construction costs made through Subcontract Keeper.
When a national agency, local government, or public institution orders a construction project and seeks to handle subcontracting matters electronically under the Framework Act on the Construction Industry and its enforcement rule, it must pay construction costs through the electronic procurement system or a system that the head of the procuring entity has established, operates, or uses electronically for subcontract management.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is pushing to revise the enforcement rule of the Framework Act on the Construction Industry so that, as an exception, construction payments can be made even without using the system when system failures occur due to disaster situations such as this fire. It is also consulting with the Ministry of Government Legislation and other related ministries so that the revision can be applied retroactively as of the 29th.
A Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official said, "We will do our best with the Public Procurement Service and other related ministries to ensure that construction payments are not disrupted before the Chuseok holiday."