South Korean firm sole bidder in DND’s assault vehicle deal

MANILA, Philippines - Only one company joined last week’s bidding for the purchase of eight brand new amphibious assault vehicles worth P2.5 billion for the Marines.

South Korean firm Samsung Techwin offered to supply the vehicles for P2.42 billion, lower by P76.5 million than the approved budget.

The Department of National Defense (DND) Bids and Awards Committee has declared the company as the “single calculated bidder” for the project.

However, Samsung Techwin cannot be declared the winning bidder until it hurdles the post-qualification phase to determine whether the supplier is capable of undertaking the project.

If Samsung Techwin wins the bidding, it is required to deliver the vehicles within 910 days upon opening of the letter of credit, which assures the supplier that the government will fulfill its obligations.

The bidding held last May 15 was the second time that the DND tried to look for suppliers for the vehicles.

The first bidding was held last November, but it failed because it did not attract any offer.

At that time, Samsung Techwin bought bid documents but did not submit an offer.

The amphibious assault vehicle acquisition project is one of the items to be bankrolled by the Revised Armed Forces Modernization Program contained in a law signed by President Aquino in 2012. – Alexis Romero