DND to buy P979-M coast watch system

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense (DND) will acquire coast watch system equipment worth P979 million to secure the government's energy projects.

In a bid bulletin, DND said the project would involve the supply and delivery of coast watch requirements, boats, firearms and ammunition, oil takedown equipment, and night vision devices.

DND Undersecretary Eduardo Batac, chairman of the DND Special Bids and Awards Committee, said the project is divided into five lots or projects.

Lot 1 involves the purchase of coast watch system requirements worth P877 million to enhance maritime domain awareness and security of energy service contract areas.

The second lot entails the procurement of two rigid hull inflatable boats worth P63.16 million. The supply and delivery of firearms, accessories and ammunition worth P21.81 million constitute lot 3.

Lot 4, meanwhile, involves the supply and delivery of P10.58-million worth of gas and oil platform takedown equipment and gears.

The supply and delivery of night vision devices worth P6.39 million constitute lot 5. All the packages will be accompanied with integrated logistics support.

DND Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said the project would also involve radars and sensors, which will form part of a command and control communications system.

He declined to say where the devices would be installed, citing security reasons.

Earlier government statements, however, said service contract zones are located in, among other areas, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Northwest Palawan, Mindoro Cuyo, East Palawan, Cotabato and Sulu Sea.

The natural gas projects in Palawan are located in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), the subject of a tense territorial dispute in the region.

The Philippines is claiming several islets, shoals, reefs and sandbars in the West Philippine Sea. China claims the entire area while Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims.

DND said the acquisition would be conducted through open competitive bidding. The bidding would be done in two stages.

The deadline for the submission of bids for some equipment under Lot 1 and Lots 2 to 5 will be on March 11 at 9 a.m.

For the other components of Lot 1, the deadline for the submission of offers is on April 24 also at 9 a.m.

Interested firms may purchase bid documents worth P75,000 from the DND Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat.

A pre-bid conference for the project will be held on Feb. 27 to allow the prospective bidders to raise their questions and concerns.