Procurement Commission received 10 complaints on the award of projects between July 2023-2024

Jul 10, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – Within a year of having been newly constituted, the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) reported that it has received 10 complaints/ requests for investigations alleging certain irregularities relating to contracts awarded through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

This is according to information published in the PPC Annual Report – July 2022 to July 2023, which was on Monday tabled in the National Assembly.

According to the document, during that period 1,593 tenders were opened which saw 1,558 contracts being awarded by the NPTAB, 10 of which the PPC received complaints for. This, according to PPC represents 1% (low ratio) of the total number of contracts that were awarded.

It was stated in the document that out of the 10 complaints, they have completed the investigations into four. The remainder is still being investigated. These complaints were filed by contractors and Member of Parliament, David Patterson who filed three.

The Commission reported that of the six contracts that were still being investigated, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) was flagged for maintenance and servicing of fixed and mobile pumps (lots 1 to 4).

According to the Commission, the nature of the compliant was a request for a review of the tender evaluation on the ground that “The complaint was the lowest bidder in two of the four lots.”

A contractor requested a review of the tender evaluation relative to an NDIA project on the ground that “The winning bidder does not have the general or specific experience in accordance with the bidding documents.”

Another complaint was filed relating to a Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), four-lane highway from Eccles to Great Diamond project. The PPC reported that a “request for an investigation to ascertain how the alleged debarred contractor, V. Dalip Enterprise, was awarded a contract and that the necessary actions be taken against the entities and individuals associated with the award.”

The document detailed that for a Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Nine project, a request for investigation was filed “to ascertain how the alleged debarred contractor, V. Dalip Enterprise, was awarded a contract and that the necessary actions be taken against the entities and individuals associated with the award.”

PPC said they had received a complaint with a Ministry of Local Government and Regional Democratic project relative to the Bamia Primary School contract. The Commission stated that a request for a review of the tender evaluation was made on the ground that “The technical requirements of the bid documents required the successful bidder to have successfully completed projects of a similar nature and size within the last three years. The winning bidder, St8tment Investment Inc. having been established in March 2021, does not meet the aforementioned requirement.”

Further, PPC reported that under the Ministry of Home Affairs, they received a complaint regarding a supply and delivery to Guyana Prison Service project (Lots 1 to 5). Request for investigation which was filed by a contractor was on the grounds that “Bid document stated the qualification criteria to be on the least cost per item. The price of the winning bidder for four items was higher than that of the complainant.”

Having received the complaints, the Commission in its Report stated that there were challenges in conducting some of the investigations to which recommendations were made for it to be resolved.

According to the Report, “Access to information also proved challenges as there were delays in the submission of the tender proceedings to the Commission. It is proposed that steps be taken to establish a standard operating procedure within procuring entities and tender boards for the submission of information to the commission to facilitate investigations.”

The PPC added that the “absence of a statutorily prescribed process for investigations particularly under Article 212AA (i) and (j) leads to uncertainty in the steps to be taken. It is proposed that legislation be enacted to enable these provisions.

The PPC is the body which exercises a major regulatory and oversight role in public procurement and the awarding of government contracts. The PPC monitors public procurement by government to ensure the principles of fairness, equity, value for money, and competition is upheld and to ensure that the procedures of public procurement are executed in accordance with the laws of Guyana.

The Commission is currently being chaired by former President of the Guyana Bar Association, Pauline Chase.

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• complaints, National Assembly, Projects, Public Procurement Commission (PPC), received

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