Lowest CCMC bidder rejected anew 4-3

Cebu City’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) yesterday junked the motion for reconsideration of the lowest bidder for the construction of  Phase 1 of a new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

In a 4-3 vote,  BAC, members   who were in complete attendance this time, stood by its earlier decision to post-disqualify the joint-venture of WTG Construction and Development Corp. and A. M. Oreta & Co. Inc.  The P275-million bid was declared  “unresponsive”.
BAC members first voted 3 to 3. The tie was broken by BAC chairman Jose Marie Poblete.

Those who voted for the disqualification were Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos, City Assessor Ferdinand Canete, City Health Officer Dr. Daisy Villa and the BAC chairman.

Those who voted to qualify the bid of WTG and A.M. Oreta were Jose Daluz III, HR officer Dominic Dino and budget officer Marietta Gumia.

Villa and Gumia were absent during the October 31 voting of the BAC to disqualify the lowest bidder.

“It’s the same as the first disqualification and with their motion, WTG failed to give a new and compelling reason why they should be considered responsive. And in a competitive bidding, there is no such thing as an honest mistake. Otherwise, every bidder will invoke that they committed an honest mistake every time they submit an incomplete bid documents,” said one source who asked to remain unnamed.

This time, several observers  from the private sector and city officials were present in the BAC meeting.

Among the observers in attendance were Marc Canton and Rudy Alix of the Movement for a Livable Cebu (MLC), Shawn Espina of CARE CCMC and two representatives from the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE).

The city councilors who also attended were Margarita Osmena, James Anthony Cuenco, Hanz Abella, Dave Tumulak, Jun Gabuya, Roberto Cabarrubias, Alvin Arcilla, Sisinio Andales.

The BAC earlier disqualified WTG and AM Oreta for allegedly falsifying documents and “inconsistencies” in bid documents. The BAC’s decision can still be appealed to Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who declined to comment, saying he still has to read the BAC decision.

Sought for comment, WTG general manager Willy Go said they will just wait for the mayor’s decision.