4 firms join DND bidding for P20-M rescue boat deal

MANILA, Philippines - Four firms have submitted bids for the P20-million contract to supply 26 inflatable boats for the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

The firms, according to the Department of National Defense (DND), were Geneve S.A. Philippines Inc., DVK Philippines Enterprises, Defense Protection Strategies Inc. (DPSI), and Joavi Philippines Corp., a joint venture with Israeli company Talon Security Consulting and Trade Ltd.

The OCD oversees the government’s disaster response measures. The boats will be used for rescue operations.

The four companies submitted their bids to the DND last Thursday.

Of the four, the Joavi-Talon joint venture offered the lowest bid at P16.9 million.

Geneve’s bid was P19.76 million, and DVK’s was P19.5 million.

The DND Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) did not open the bid of DPSI due to questions about the ’s relationship with a company called Qingdao Hailun Yacht Co. Ltd.

During the bidding, members of the DND-BAC said the relationship between DPSI and Qingdao is not clear. Representatives of DPSI told the BAC that the firm is the exclusive distributor of Qingdao.

However, BAC members said they have not been provided with sufficient information about Qingdao.

The BAC also said DPSI had provided no documents that would have proved that it had completed similar contracts in the past three years.

Representatives of DPSI said they would appeal the BAC’s decision. The BAC gave DPSI until Monday to prove that it is qualified to join the bidding.

DND Assistant Secretary Lamberto Sillona said DPSI’s bid documents would be sealed pending the BAC’s decision on DPSI’s motion for reconsideration.

DND Legal Service chief Patrick Velez said they would only proceed with the post-qualification phase after a decision on the motion for reconsideration has been issued.

The post-qualification phase would determine if the bidder that submitted the lowest offer is qualified to undertake the project.

If the BAC disqualifies DPSI, the joint venture between Joavi and Talon will advance to the post-qualification stage.

DPSI may advance to the post-qualification stage if it secures a favorable ruling on its motion for reconsideration and if its offer is lower than that of Joavi.