LAHORE: Local suppliers, in connivance with unscrupulous elements of Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO), have knocked out an international bidder for the supply of circuit breakers, said sources.
According to the sources, the GEPCO tender was opened on 04-03-2024. A local supplier, also known as the cartel ring leader of the other local suppliers, got declared M/s Hitachi non-responsive with the collaboration of the General Manager (Tech) GEPCO and Chief Engineer (Dev) GEPCO.
As per details, the General Manager (Tech) GEPCO telephonically discussed the validity of the international bidder type test sport duration with the NTDC (custodian of specifications) and for the same issue, a letter was written by Chief Engineer (Dev) GEPCO to Chief Engineer (Sub-station Design) NTDC vide letter dated 03-04-2024 to confirm whether the Hitachi type test are valid as per NTDC type test policy (revised 2023).
Despite the confirmation from the NTDC Design, the Manager (Procurement) PMU vide letter dated 19-04-2024 declared M/s Hitachi non-responsive. The evaluation committee within hours decided to reject the Hitachi bid and declared Siddique sons to be technically responsive, said the sources.
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The sources have further pointed out that the cartel had managed to get all the honest officers transferred with the ones who were in collusion, corrupt and collusive practice with them to win the tender.
According to the sources, M/s Hitachi has lodged its grievance against the evaluation as per PPRA rules and the cartel is trying to blackmail M/s Hitachi through the corrupt officers to collect the financial bid so that they can manipulate the whole game in their favour (as evident from the GEPCO Manager Procurement PMU letter.
The sources have further confided that the cartel of local suppliers is manipulating with the price offered to the DISCO and compelling it to procurement on higher price than the originally agreed under the tender, causing millions of rupees loss to the exchequer.
It may further be noted that a complaint has also been filed with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and copy of all relevant documents is also available with Business Recorder.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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