KATHMANDU: The Public Procurement Monitoring Office (PPMO) has officially blacklisted 14 construction companies and suppliers for failing to fulfill their contractual obligations.

The office, which operates under the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, issued the notice on May 12 following a decision made on May 11.

The regulatory action was taken under Section 63, Subsection (1) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

This decision effectively bars the identified firms—including individual companies and partners within Joint Ventures (JVs)—from participating in any government procurement or bidding processes for a period ranging from one year to 18 months.

The notice lists several high-profile Joint Ventures among the penalized, including Nagarjun/Ashika J.V. and Nagarjun-Majdoor J.V. Under these JVs, firms such as Nagarjun Construction, Ashika Nirman Sewa, and Majdoor Construction face a one-and-a-half-year ban.

Other companies, such as Mainachuli Nirman Sewa Pvt. Ltd. and Suruchi Construction, are also facing the same 18-month restriction.

Additionally, several other firms have been blacklisted for one year. These include Adhya Vyapar Bindu, Soni Builders and Engineering Pvt. Ltd., Narayan Bhagirathi Nirman Sewa, Frontline Builders & Designers, Om Infratech, and R.B. Urban Builders and Suppliers.

The move follows recommendations from various state agencies, including the Nepali Army, the Road Division Office in Lalitpur, and the Water Supply and Irrigation Directorate in Surkhet.

The PPMO stated that this crackdown is part of an ongoing effort to maintain discipline in public works and hold contractors accountable for project delays and negligence.