Who to upgrade Licensing Office?

The Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Works and Transport (MOWT)/United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) voted by five-to-two for a joint venture between a local firm and a foreign firm, "Company B," which bid US$3.4 million (TT$20 million), rejecting an Icelandic firm, "Company A," which bid US$1 million (TT$6.3 million).

An independent report by accountants Ernst and Young priced the job at over US$4 million. There have been reports of disagreements between ministry officials and the UNDP officials in Port-of-Spain. The exercise began under former minister of works and transport, Franklin Khan, and is now in the hands of new minister, Colm Imbert, who last month promised to call in two foreign experts for independent opinions.

Joining the debate yesterday was Ian Johnson, a procurement consultant to one of the bidders, who submitted a letter to the editor.

Firstly, he said the tender used a request for proposals (RFP) procedure which he said superceded the "global policies and procedures" of the UNDP.

Secondly, Johnson asked why the UNDP had complained about the quality of members of the Evaluation Committee, only after the team had made their selection (of Company B).

Thirdly, he said he could personally attest that the ministry officials were university-trained IT experts who were "equal or better" in competence to most other experts he had met in the world.

Fourthly, he said the bid of Company A was unrealistically low, saying Ernst and Young said the project would cost US$4 million and the UNDP in 2004 said it would cost US$5 million. Johnson said, "The lowest bidder would be hard pressed to finish this project since US$1 million, according to the Ernst and Young report, is about the cost of the hardware (only) needed for this project as at 1998."

Fifthly, Johnson asked why the UNDP allegedly went with its views directly to the minister, and not to the Permanent Secretary who is the appropriate person.

Sixthly, he said the bid cannot be decided on lowest price alone since there are other factors to assess a firm such as its technical capacity, evidence of implementation, and support services.

He alleged, "The information is publicly available on the web that the lowest bidder has never implemented such a project anywhere."

Reports are that a number of meetings are to be held this week to finalise the future of this project. The computerisation the Licensing Office was promised several years ago.