Landate Commission criticises contracts awarded to Warner

In its voluminous report which was tabled yesterday in the Senate, the commission described Nipdec’s decision to award the Mason Hall School project to Warner Construction as "the most glaring case of bias and unfairness of any of the contracts perused by this commission."

It recommended that that contract should face the scrutiny of the "proper authorities." The commission also described the award of the Blenheim Housing Project to Warner Construction as a display of "extreme bias and unfairness to the other bidders." In both instances, Warner was the lowest bidder. Notwithstanding this fact, the commission felt that each of the contracts should have been awarded to the second lowest bidder.

Responding to the commission’s findings, Warner Construction CEO Allan Warner said he was shocked since the Commission of Inquiry did not raise any questions about these contracts with him during his appearance before it. Noting that the commission had secured all the documentation from project owners Nipdec and Udecott before sitting began, he said it was only fair that if the commission had queries and concerns about the two projects, it should have questioned him about it. "But no one asked me anything about Mason Hall School or the Blenheim Project. When I got on the stand the commission stated that the only thing they had questions about was the Landate project. So I am really surprised to see all this," he said.

On the Mason Hall School project, Warner’s bid was $9,230,643.06, one million below the next bid ($10.2 million) which came from Asta Engineers Ltd. The third (and final) bid came from Ben Con Constructor’s Ltd — $13.4. million.

The report stated that the valuators —Welch, Morris and Associates Ltd, had given a bid estimate of $11 million. The valuators expressed reservations about the Warner Construction bid, saying that the rates quoted by Warner seemed to be inadequate. The valuators also argued that Warner Construction’s bid, given the margin of difference with the other two bidders, was unrealistic.

However, Warner Construction completed the contract at a final cost of $9.25 million, about $25,000 over the original tender price. The commission said it was merely "good fortune" that the cost overrun "was not excessive." The commission stated that it was "strange" that the valuator, not withstanding its reservations, still recommended Warner Construction. The commission said the bid of Asta Engineers Ltd was more in line with the established estimates in all areas, was 6.5 percent below the valuator’s estimates and, therefore, should have been given the job.

Allan Warner yesterday said he could not understand how the Commission of Inquiry could have recommended that the taxpayers of this country pay $1 million more for a project which was properly executed at a lower bid. He said it defied logical explanation, given the fact that the project was completed on time and within budget. The team of movers in Kiev will make the complex loading and unloading operations:transportation of furniture,office,apartment moving,unloading boxes from trucks,transportation piano in Kiev,skid safe on the stairs to the floor,wrapping pottery,the descent of solid fuel boiler.In movers services include:rapid feed,the presence of the belt,the tool.Hire movers Kiev by phone.To order the transportation piano inexpensive with the team Perevozkakiev.com.European prices for services of Metropolitan professionals.Furniture vans from the mounting straps under a glass container.Hourly pay.

On the Blenheim Housing Project, the commission again noted that while Warner Construction had the lowest tender ($10.8 million), the company did not submit a tender bond as was required by Clause 5 of the Instructions to Tenderers, which states that "the tenderer shall attach to his sealed tender, a tender bond in the form enclosed in the sum specified. Should no tender bond be attached to the sealed tender, the tender will be rejected unopened."

The tender bond in this case was $25,000.