Tuesday, October 31, 2006 Caucus set to ‘probe’ bidder on new gov’t center
THE City Council will hold an executive-legislative caucus to discuss and clear the confusion over the pre-bidding result of the City’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for the P400 million New Government Center.
The council will discuss the pros and cons of the issue and the confusion over why only one out of the nine bidders was qualified.
Councilors Ann Marie Palermo and Lyndon Caña called for a discussion after both admitted having been shocked with the pronouncement of newly-assumed BAC chairman Goldwyn Nifras that only Hilmarc Construction Corp. of Nelson Canlas was qualified for the final bidding set on Dec. 27.
Both said they wanted Nifras and the rest of BAC members to explain before the caucus why only Hilmarc was chosen.
Hilmarc has been placed in controversy after radio station RGMA-Super Radyo reported that Canlas and Prospero Leonardia, brother of Mayor Evelio Leonardia, were seen meeting in one of the hotels in Bacolod early this month.
Leonardia, however, denied radio reports that Pros is intervening in the affairs of the City especially on the new government center issue.
“We’ll see the processes made during the pre-bidding and examine everything, why only Gimarc,” Palermo said in a radio interview over RMN Sunday night.
Caña, who has been vocal on the issue of the new government center, said that he also wants the BAC people to explain in toto the processes they observed during the pre-bidding.
On the other hand, Nifras explained that other firms failed to comply with the eligibility requirements.
He said these firms failed to submit their lists of key personnel, show proof of ownership of various equipments, among others.
Hilmarc, he said, was the only one that complied with all the requirements.
The eight other construction firms were which lacked documents were Tokwing Construction, Liberty Builders, JF Pajara, R II Builders, Young Builders Corp., JM Luciano and Pragmatic Development Construction.
But aside from bidding matter, Palermo and Caña said they will also tackle the 5-page letter of former vice mayor Ramiro “Chick” Garcia sent to both the Office of the Mayor and the SP.
Garcia, in his letter, reiterated that he’s not against the construction of a Government Center for Bacolod but is only concern with the process in coming up with the bidding.
Garcia, an architect by profession, said that prior to a bidding, the proposed project should have already a engineering and architectural design for the bidders to draft their estimates and specifications particularly on materials to be used.
The former vice mayor explained that most architectural competition fall into one of two categories: those that search for good ideas with no intent or consideration for compensation to the entry and a competition organized to include a selected entry list and to provide equitable pay to each entry.
Judging should be done by a panel of architectural professionals assisted by some other disciplines.
He, however, said that it was obvious that the BAC only opted for the first category.
Another point that Garcia raised is that no bidding and award of contract for infrastructure projects should be made without the detailed engineering investigations, surveys and designs.
Garcia questioned why the BAC awarded the contract without submitting its designs.
“Will they be required to submit their individual building and material specifications? Since the rule allows bidders to submit its detailed engineering design as part of its bid,” the same should therefore be required, he also stressed.
Garcia likewise questioned the capability of the technical working group for this particular project.
He said that in this proposed government center, the technical specifications alone covered more than 250 pages not yet included the architectural, structural, electrical, sanitary and mechanical plans and their respective engineering computations.
“Would BAC’s technical working group have enough technical competent to evaluate all these drawings and computations in such a short time?” he asked.
But most of all, Garcia asked: “What will be the basis of BAC on whom to award the contract as the plans and specifications will vary from one bidder to the other?
What will be the basis of the Award based on the bid price as there is no in -- house or Government estimate to determine if the price is fair and equitable? (EASD)
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