DOTC eases LRT-1 Ext bid rules

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has relaxed its rules on the scheduled rebidding of the P65-billion Light Rail Transit line 1 Cavite extension project to attract more bidders.

DOTC undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla said the agency’s Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) has revised the definition of “outstanding dispute” in the instruction to bidders. 

“We just made it just to make sure that no bidders would be disqualified unnecessarily and only bidders involved in extreme cases would be disqualified,” Lotilla said. 

He added that the revised rules would also allow other interested companies to join the bidding for the public private partnership (PPP) project.

“We want more companies to bid,” he said.

The DOTC has issued Special Bid Bulletin No. 12 -2014 containing the amended definition of “outstanding dispute” under the instruction to bidders for the project.

Under the amended rules, “outstanding dispute” with government refers to any pending judicial, administrative or alternative dispute resolution proceeding, including suspension or blacklisting proceedings, between the bidder, any consortium member, their affiliates, or contractor proposed by the bidder or consortium, on the one hand, and the DOTC or the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).

Under the original clause, “outstanding dispute” covers dispute with the government, any of its offices, agencies, or instrumentalities, or government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs). 

The bulletin said the “outstanding dispute” covers transportation projects or contracts intended to provide a critical basic necessity and is of paramount public interest and importance.

The DOTC said the bulletin covers the bidder, any consortium member, or their affiliates that have committed a default or breach of contract, any representation, or

any warranty preventing the DOTC or LRTA from fully or timely complying with their statutory obligations.

The DOTC is set to integrate the bidding of the P65 billion LRT 1 Cavite extension project to integrate the proposed “common station” linking the LRT and the Metro Rail Transit line 3 (MRT3) along EDSA. 

The DOTC has also decided to extend the deadline for the submission of bids by another month to May 28 instead of April 28.

The groups interested in joining the bidding include the tandem of infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and conglomerate Ayala Corp. through the Light Rail Manila Consortium, construction giant DM Consunji Inc., Filipino-owned Megawide Construction Corp., Spanish-owned Globalvia Inversiones SAU, SMC Infra Resources Inc. of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp., Eco Rail Services Inc. of businessman Reghis Romero II, and Malaysian-owned MTD Philippines Inc.