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MANILA, Philippines – Conglomerate San Miguel Corporation (SMC) on Sunday, June 8, asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to immediately decide on the concerns raised by 3 other bidders for the P35.4-billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calax) project.
On Friday, June 6, the DPWH deferred the opening of the bids for the public private partnership (PPP) project after 3 other bidders questioned the bid proposal submitted by SMC’s Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc. last June 2.
Malaysia’s Alloy MTD Philippines, MPCALA Holdings Inc. of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), and Team Orion of Ayala Corporation and Aboitiz Group questioned the validity of Optimal’s bid security.
According to the implementing rules of the Build Operate and Transfer Law, the validity of a bid security should be at least 180 days from bidding date.
The 3 bidders claimed Optimal’s bid security was valid only until November 25.
But Mark Dumol, president of SMC’s Private Infra Development Corporation, said in a statement that their group’s bid was fully compliant with the requirements.
Dumol said ANZ Bank issued a certification that the bid security was valid until November 29.
He also called on the government not to be swayed by “bullying tactics” by SMC’s competitors in the Calax project bidding.
“Are they intimidated by our financial bid that they now choose to find the tiniest fault in the bid submission? Clearly, the government gets the best price if there are several bidders,” he said.
Dumol added, “We hope the evaluating committee will not be influenced by MPCALA’s campaign against SMC through its media machinery, harping on appearance of boxes and minute technical discrepancies. MPCALA is like Megatron, it wants to kill Optimus (SMC’s Optimal) but has so far been unsuccessful.”
DPWH undersecretary Rafael Yabut said the agency’s Special Bids and Awards Committee will convene again to discuss the concerns raised against Optimal.
“We requested our consultants to again evaluate and include in their evaluation and report the manifestation of Optimal,” Yabut said.
The Calax project involves the financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance of a 4-lane, 47-kilometer closed-system toll expressway connecting the South Luzon Expressway and the Cavite Expressway. – Rappler.com
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