ISLAMABAD: In a recent development, the Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD’s) Central Civil Division V of the North Zone has launched the bidding process for the construction of National Police Hospital , Islamabad costing Rs.1.63 billion. However, the tender has raised many concerns about fairness and transparency in the procurement process.
The project’s tender imposes certain conditions on private firms wishing to participate in the bidding process. According to the
terms and conditions, only firms that have completed two “same nature works” of equal value in the past five years are eligible to bid for the construction project. Furthermore, an Electrical License holder from the Islamabad Region, with a stable financial status, a turnover of 50 million, and a bank account with any scheduled bank in Islamabad or Rawalpindi holding a credit of one million, is also required.
These conditions have sparked controversy, as some stakeholders argue that they may violate the principles of fairness outlined in the PPRA Rules. Concerns have been raised regarding the preferential treatment given to Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) licensed holder firms for obtaining Bid Documents. The process of prequalification has been defended, but questions remain as to why the bid documents have not been issued to interested parties.
The Director Legal and Deputy Director M&E, when approached for comments, emphasized the importance of equal opportunities for contractors and transparency in the procurement process. They explained that any bidder who feels their entitlement has been affected by these conditions can refer their case to the Grievances Committee of the relevant department after referring to the PPRA. The officials also admitted that they could not refer to any authority’s role regarding the various tenders available on the PPRA website, further raising concerns about the transparency of the process.
The decision not to issue “bid documents” has raised eyebrows, as it is believed that their sale could have provided a financial benefit to P.W.D. Officials have stated that no company has submitted their bank statement thus far, leaving the situation uncertain. It has been suggested that initiating a coordination mechanism may be necessary if requests for Bid Documents are not received.
As the bidding deadline of June 15 approaches, the controversy surrounding the tender for the construction of the P.W.D. Islamabad, National Police Hospital continues to generate debate over the fairness and transparency of the procurement process. Stakeholders are closely monitoring the situation, and further developments are eagerly anticipated.
