4 AFP projects await award notice

MANILA, Philippines - Four big-ticket military upgrade projects, including radars for territorial defense and drones, are awaiting the issuance of notices of award by the Department of National Defense.

The notice of award is a document stating that the project already has a winning bidder. The issuance of notice is an important step in the procurement process, as this leads to the actual implementation of the project.

Data seen by The STAR showed the key upgrade projects awaiting award notices are the air surveillance radars worth P2.68 billion, Marine Forces Imagery and Targeting Support System Acquisition Project or drones worth P684 million, the eight amphibious assault vehicles worth P2.5 billion and Air Force full motion flight simulators worth P246 million.

All the projects have gone through the post-qualification phase, which allows the government to check if the supplier’s offer is responsive to the needs of the military unit that will use the equipment.

The procurement process for the four projects moved forward after President Aquino signed the Armed Forces modernization program shopping list last July. Before the signing, the projects were put on hold because the budget could not be released.