Six Key Dimensions for Verifying the Qualification of Import Equipment Bidding Agents

The special requirements for the bidding of imported equipment.

In the electromechanicalEquipment ImportsIn the field, bidding agencies undertake specialized functions such as technical parameter conversion, alignment with international standards, and application of tax exemption policies. According to the latest 2025 revision of the "Implementation Measures for International Bidding and Tendering of Mechanical and Electrical Products," qualification deficiencies in agencies will directly lead to the rejection of bidding documents and may even cause delays in the approval of import licenses.

The triple verification system for core qualifications

First Tier: Statutory Business License

• International Bidding Agency Qualification for Electromechanical Products (Categories A, B, and Provisional)
• Yesforeign tradetrade operators record - keeping registration
• Customs AEO certification qualification

Level 2: Professional Competency Certification

• Technical evaluation team for specific equipment categories (engineer qualification certificates required)
  • Medical EquipmentImported products must be equipped with clinical medical engineers.
  • The import of industrial equipment requires the matching of mechanical automation experts.
• There should be no fewer than 20 successful bidding cases for similar equipment within the past five years.

Level 3: Risk Prevention and Control Mechanism

• A well-established performance bond management system
• Emergency Response Plan for International Trade Disputes
• Third-party arbitration channel for equipment acceptance disputes

Key Points of the New Qualification Review Regulations for 2025

In accordance with Announcement No. 45 from the Ministry of Commerce, three additional indicators have been introduced for the qualification review of import bidding agents:

• Cross-border Payment Compliance Records (Focus on reviewing foreign exchange settlement documents from the past three years)
• Certificate of Insurance for Equipment Technical Parameter Misinterpretation Liability Coverage
• Origin Certification Document Verification System Connected to the General Administration of Customs Database

Bidding Agency Service Capability Evaluation Model

It is recommended to establish an evaluation system from five dimensions:

• Technology Transfer Capability: Accuracy rate of international standard conversion for equipment parameters
• Standardization level of documents: Bidding Document Ministry of Commerce Filing Approval Rate
• Process time control: Average time required to obtain an import license
• Efficiency of dispute resolution: Proportion of projects that failed to attract bids within three years
• Cost control capability：Success rate of tariff preferential policy application

Practical Recommendations for Qualification Verification

It is recommended to adopt the "three checks and two verifications" working method:

• Check the validity period of the qualification certificate (pay special attention to the annual review mark for provisional-level qualifications).
• Verify the authenticity of the case (requires providing the customs import goods declaration number for verification).
• Assess team stability (with a focus on verifying the employment certificates of core technical personnel).
• Testing system integration capability (testing the response speed of data exchange with the Single Window)
• Risk Mitigation Plan (Simulated Response Test for Sudden Tariff Policy Changes)

Three Key Clauses of the Bidding Agency Contract

• Qualification Guarantee Clause: Clearly stipulate the liability for breach of contract in case of qualification invalidation.
• Technical Interface Provisions: Request to dispatch engineers to participate in equipment acceptance.
• Clause on Time Limit Commitment: SettingsImport ClearancePenalty for delay in each process

A professional foreign trade agency service provider should possess cross-departmental collaboration capabilities, enabling synchronous coordination with inspection, customs, foreign exchange management, and other departments during the bidding process. It is recommended that enterprises, when selecting an agency, require it to provide complete original qualification documents and conduct dual verification through the "Single Window for International Trade" enterprise qualification inquiry module.