Davide backs unsolicited proposals for major projects

CEBU Gov. Hilario Davide III said he supports President Rodrigo Duterte’s move to replace public bidding in favor of unsolicited proposals to fast-track big-ticket projects.

“Maayo pud na (That would be great). That unburdens the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC). Here, it’s common we receive unsolicited proposals from private groups on transport systems and infrastructure projects,” he told reporters. Davide said what government is after is quality.

“Most of the time the winning bidder has the lowest cost but quality is low too. That’s why they are easily damaged,” the governor said.

Last Saturday, President Duterte said he wanted to eliminate the bidding process because it only caused delays in the completion of government projects and bred corruption.

The president pushed for a Swiss Challenge system in which a government agency that receives an unsolicited proposal for a project invites third parties to match or offer a better proposal. The original project proponent would be allowed to match the offers.

But Davide said unsolicited proposals should be limited to big-ticket projects only.

He said a review on the procurement law is needed to ease the process of acquiring services and supplies in the local government level.

“Supplies and the usual services used by the provincial government, I would still go for public bidding because we have the procurement law,” Governor Davide said.