RESOURCE CENTER BUILDER
Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III is not concerned that the same contractor that built the controversial Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) may be chosen to construct the Capitol’s 20-story resource center.
WT Construction Inc. (WTCI), the firm that constructed CICC in 2006, was the lowest calculated bidder during the public bidding for the multi-level resource center held by the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) last Friday, November 9.
“There is no problem with that [if WT will win]. The problem with CICC is not on who constructed it or the structure but on how the procurement process went. With this, we are following all steps prescribed by the legal procurement process. This went through a competitive public bidding,” Davide explained.
WTCI pegged to construct the resource center for P1.298 billion, or P2 million cheaper than the Approved Bid Contract of P1.3 billion.
Jone Siegfred Sepe, vice chair of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), said WT Construction was the only bidder who was able to meet the legal, technical, and financial requisites in the contract.
Aside from WT Construction, Finmat International Resources Inc., a Manila-based firm, also expressed intent to build the resource center but was not able to pass the largest previous project requirement, which under Republic Act 9184, should be at least 50 percent of the (ABC) of the project for bidding.
“We are using the two-envelope system — one for their financial documents and the other envelope for their legal and technical requirements. With Finmat, they were not able to meet the required value of their biggest project or half the contract price, in this case is P650 million at least. Because of that, we did not proceed with the opening of their technical and financial documents,” Sepe explained.
Davide however, clarified that WTCI is not yet considered as the winning bidder since it yet to undergo the remaining steps in the procurement process.
“They are just the lowest calculated bidder. Pero they are still subject to post qualification process. Dili pa na final nga winning bidder,” Davide said.
Sepe also said they are now on the post qualification process with WTCI to determine if the documents they submitted are true and accurate. The BAC, at this stage, will validate if the contractor is truly capable of delivering the project.
If WT Construction will pass this stage, it will be awarded with the contract, subject for review by the Office of the Governor and the Provincial Board.
If the remainder of the procurement process will go smoothly, Sepe said they expect the construction of the resource center to start before the year ends.
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