Capitol bid award questioned anew

CEBU, Philippines - A recent bid award for a project at the Capitol compound is questioned yet again.

Businessman Crisologo Saavedra has urged the Cebu Provincial Board to review the bidding of the P51.4 million consultancy contract of the proposed 12-story building inside the Capitol compound.

 Saavedra said he will submit to Board Member Jerome Librando, chair of the Board's committee on infrastructure, a formal letter asking the PB to declare a failure of bidding.

He alleged the bidding was defective.

The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) has recommended that the consultancy contract worth P P51,415,000 be awarded to A.S. Enriquez Engineering Consultancy.

 Saavedra alleged that none of the eligible bidders submitted individual ISO 9001:2008 certification to qualify in the bidding.

 Under the Terms of Reference stipulated on page 54, Section 7 of the Minimum Qualification of the Consultant, "the consultant shall have been certified ISO 9001;2008 Quality Management System.

 He also questioned the Supplemental Bid Bulletin which states, "to engage the services of a Visayas-based consultant group."

 "This requirement on the TOR is in violation of the RA 9184, which will deprive and discourage other eligible and qualified bidders to participate in the bidding," Saavedra said.

 The evaluation report of Engr. Jose Gonzalo S. Tumulak, Technical Working Group - consultancy BAC, for the rating of Apollo S. Enriquez Engineering Consultancy dated December 15, 2015, states that "The consultant failed to include a Sr. Electro-Mechanical Engineer and Quantity Surveyor which is required to do the consulting works as specified in the Terms of Reference."

 "This is a non-compliance of the bidding requirements for the key personnel which is patently incomplete and insufficient. The Consultant, A.S. Enriquez Engineering Consultancy is automatically disqualified to participate in the next bidding process and should not be awarded for the above contract who is the highest bidder," Saavedra said.

 Earlier, Governor Hilario Davide III defended BAC, saying the right procedure was followed and that the bidders' background was checked before the winner was declared.

 Davide was reacting to an unsigned letter of Cebu Fourth District Rep. Benhur Salimbangon, which questioned BAC and the winning bidder.

 "How can the Province of Cebu enter into a contract with a consulting firm with a questionable record of past performance for projects in Cebu, most especially with the Province herself?" a portion of the letter reads. (FREEMAN)