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Consultants interested in providing project preparation and transaction advisory services for the cross-border electronic invoicing system project have until January 26 to submit their expression of interest
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A shortlist of consultants will then be selected and invited to submit proposals for the project
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The CEI system project aims to establish a single electronic invoicing platform to be controlled by the Philippine government to effectively monitor international trade transactions of all imported goods
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The system aims to prevent smuggling, misdeclaration, and undervaluation by ensuring that all imported goods are invoiced transparently and that payment of taxes and duties are consistent with import declarations
Consultants interested in providing project preparation and transaction advisory services for the cross-border electronic invoicing system project have until January 26, 2026 to submit their expression of interest.
They must register with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Consultant Management System and provide the required information through its Consulting Services Recruitment Notice for the project.
The original deadline was on January 12, according to the request for EOI uploaded on the Public-Private Partnership Center (PPPC) website on December 15, 2025.
The PPPC’s Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) will then draw up the shortlist of consultants, who will be invited to submit proposals.
The Department of Finance (DOF) applied for and was granted Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF) support last year for the provision of project preparation and transaction advisory services for the CEI system project.
In 2024, the ADB and the Philippine government signed a loan agreement to infuse additional funding for the PDMF, a revolving fund to help government agencies prepare bankable PPP projects by funding transaction advisors and consultants for studies, procurement, and support services, ensuring well-structured, attractive infrastructure projects for private investment.
The CEI system project aims to establish a single electronic invoicing platform to be controlled by the Philippine government to effectively monitor international trade transactions of all imported goods.
The system aims to prevent smuggling, misdeclaration, and undervaluation by ensuring that all imported goods are invoiced transparently and that payment of taxes and duties are consistent with import declarations.
According to the project’s terms of reference, the DOF in 2017 noted a discrepancy of P1.8 trillion on volume of goods reported by exporters versus actual volume of goods imported by the Philippines.
The discrepancy rose from 25.1% in 2017 to 26.8% in 2018. The discrepancy is attributed to gross misdeclaration or undervaluation of goods through the use of fake documents.
According to DOF, in 2017 alone the trade data discrepancy translates to foregone revenues estimated at around P231 billion, which represents 2% of the country’s gross domestic product.
The winning consultant will determine the preliminary economic and financial viability of the CEI system; determine viability as a PPP; and prepare bid/tender documents, provide advisory and transaction support to the DOF, and ensure effective bid process and contract execution until the financial close of the project if it is to be pursued through PPP.
The expected outcome of the consultancy is to determine the most appropriate or optimal PPP arrangement considering the concerns of all stakeholders, as well as pertinent rules and regulations.
Implementation of the CEI, as well as pre-border technical verification (PTV), was approved by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. in 2024 through Administrative Order (AO) No. 23.
AO No. 23 mandates the procurement of a CEI system wherein verified and registered foreign exporters can create electronic invoices on a single electronic platform controlled by the Philippine government.
The electronic invoice will be shared transparently and in real time with the Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and other relevant government agencies.
READ: JAO implements pre-border inspection, e-invoicing
As provided under AO No. 23, the DOF should engage a CEI system provider which possesses legal, financial and technical capabilities to provide a secure web-based system for the registration of exporters and the creation of e-invoices.
A user-pays mechanism is proposed for the project where the importer pays an annual fee to register as a user of the system and a fee for every electronic invoice generated.
