ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has sought the details of the tender for the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of Islamabad West Grid Station (IWS) on a complaint of a Chinese company, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.
Chinese firm, M/s Shandong Electric Power Engineering Consulting Institute Corp, Ltd, in a letter to the prime minister, the army chief, other top government authorities and the World Bank, Washington, has claimed that it has been learnt through various market sources that apparently, the bid of much-talked company is severely incomplete, lacks reasonability against various scope of work items, poorly prepared and unbalanced, thus, putting the project i.e. IWS under undue risks.
The Chinese firm, in its letter to high-ups, has also claimed that the bidder is a habitual exploiter and uses its relationship with the high-powered officials to twist and turn the project in its favour like in the current case apparently some officials in the World Bank Pakistan Office are rigorously exploring every possible option to somehow award them this project, no matter it amounts to massive bid improvement or even changing the bid price altogether.
Pending tasks: World Bank asks NTDC to expedite implementation
“No World Bank regulations or even PPRA rules allow such kind of violations and therefore, any such action from any side must never be endorsed,” said Engr Liu Pingxin, chief representative Shandong Electric for Pakistan.
The Chinese company has also requested that concerned quarters be directed to utterly shun such practices, declare the bidder “non-responsive” on account of multiple violations of the bidding documents such as non-confirmation of arithmetic correction, lack of financial resources, ongoing litigation with NTDC and blacklisting liability as per NTDC blacklisting policy, and subsequently invite next responsive bidders for negotiations to proceed with rightful maturity of bidding process and avoid losing confidence and trust and hurting friendship caused by low price below realistic cost between Pakistani and Chinese parties.
“We are further extending the viability of our bid as was requested by NTDC in their letter of March 15 and 19, 2024 and stand as a valid bidder in the subject bidding process and keep very high hopes that honesty, transparency and merit will prevail definitely, in the best interest of the project and long-term friendship due brotherhood,” said the CEO of the company.
The sources said, the PMO, has sought complete details of the project from the Power Division immediately.
However, the World Bank’s documents reveal that it has asked the NTDC to address the following key issues discussed and agreements reached: After a lot of delay, the NTDC board has approved the award of contract for IWS works to the lowest price bidder subject to the bidder submitting the unconditional commitment letter from a bank for a line of credit (minimum $3.75m) to cover the cash flow requirement for this contract.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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