Companies bidding for projects at the Singapore government procurement website, Gebiz, will have some of their deadlines extended, after a possible glitch in a server prevented many from logging in.
Since around 4pm this afternoon, users logging in with their SingPass IDs, which are also used to sign in to dozens of other online government services, have faced error messages telling them that the server is “busy”. On other occasions, the webpage just refuses to load.
There is an alternative login, using a Gebiz ID, but this is not a solution for many companies bidding for projects today because each organisation can only be registered as a trading partner once, with either a Gebiz ID or a SingPass. Those who already have an account tied to SingPass cannot register for a new Gebiz ID.
A check with the Gebiz hotline revealed that there may be a SingPass server problem, though the operator on the line did not say when the system would be restored. He, however, said that that deadlines for tenders expiring today would be pushed back to tomorrow, as announced on the website moments later.
UPDATE: From an e-mail reply from Gebiz:
– Electronic tenders closing on 05 March 2012 1600 hrs have been extended to 06 March 2012 1600 hrs.
– Electronic quotations closing on 05 March 2012 2359 hrs have been extended to 06 March 2012 2359 hrs.
The problem, fortunately, does not seem to extend to all government websites using the SingPass ID. For example, one can still log in to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) website to look up one’s savings account balance, when Techgoondu checked just moments ago.
