Allcard not giving up

It seems our driver’s license woes would soon come to an end.

But then again, in this nation of 114 million, you never really know what happens next, especially when it involves government procurement and a multimillion-peso contract.

On Monday, Land Transportation Office OIC Hector Villacorta said that 5,000 cards would be distributed before President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address on July 24.

This as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) already awarded the driver’s license cards supply contract to Banner Plastic Cards Inc. and that the first batch of cards comprising 500,000 pieces is expected to be delivered in 30 to 60 days.

Unfortunately, issues remain. Allcard Inc., the other bidder and which actually submitted the lowest bid, is not giving up, my sources say, even as Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista already said the company was disqualified; it was found to have had issues with delayed delivery of goods in other government projects.

Allcard earlier submitted a request for reconsideration after it was disqualified, disputing that it was not able to fulfill its commitments to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for another project, as cited by the DOTr in its reasons for disqualifying Allcard. Allcard, however, said the issue with the BSP is still “being evaluated.”

Lowest bid

Last May, Allcard submitted the lowest bid at P33.88 per piece compared to the rival bidder’s price of P42 per card but later on, the company was disqualified.

Allcard then filed a request for reconsideration last June 13 and last June 16 requested for copies of the correspondence between the DOTr and the BSP so it can further explain the matter.

However, the DOTr, in a June 20 letter, thumbed down Allcard’s request for reconsideration, saying that it
“lacked merit” and “had no favorable grounds.”

Allcard then informed the DOTr of its intent to protest its disqualification as early as June 20.

However, on June 22, DOTr sent Allcard a letter informing the company that the contract has already been awarded to another bidder.

Allcard, in a letter to the DOTr, cited Republic Act 9184 or the Procurement Law, saying that a losing bidder may file a protest within seven calendar days after its motion is denied.

The DOTr, however, did not heed this and instead already awarded the contract to a winning bidder.

Allcard is wondering why the DOTr didn’t wait for the lapse of the seven-day period before closing the deal.

DOTr: No favored bidder

The DOTr, however, is firm in its position that it did not favor any company in its search for a plastic cards supplier.

DOTr Undersecretary for Administration and Finance Kim Robert de Leon has said the procurement and the post-disqualification processes were within the parameters of the law.

Another DOTr source said the agency properly communicated all the necessary concerns to Allcard the whole time and that it was disqualified because it simply was not able to fulfill its obligations to the BSP.

What happens next is anybody’s guess.

A growing innovation community in the Philippines

Innovation in the Philippines can help spur economic growth and aid in the country’s recovery, especially after the pandemic.

This is according to businessman Benedicto Yujuico, Meridian Innovation Center chairman and former Philippines Trade Ambassador, at the recent launch of the Global Innovation Management Institute (GIMI) Community in the Philippines.

The Embiggen Innovation Institute and the Global Innovation Management Institute (GIMI) recently hosted the launch of the GIMI community of innovators in the Philippines at the Meridian Innovation Center.

Embiggen is a corporate venturing and innovation group while GIMI is the worldwide innovation management standard certification board based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It offers globally-recognized innovation certification programs for both individuals and organizations.

“Innovation has always been a desired engine of growth for the Philippines, given its bountiful resources and talented people, but has always seemed to elude us,” said Yujuico.

“The potential that our country has to grow and become great again is far from being realized. And it has been one of my goals to help our country be great again,” he added.

The community launch brought together Philippine-based innovators from conglomerates, universities and organizations, where they were able to network with their fellow GIMI-certified colleagues, GIMI’s executives and Embiggen’s innovation experts.

“We really hope that those who are in the GIMI Community will eventually become part of our movement in helping corporations implement the frameworks and learnings. What we also provide as a value add in Embiggen is we really bridge the knowing and doing gap. The real challenge for innovators is making sure that systems are in place in our workplace, otherwise, the efforts to innovate fall flat,” said Jimbo Reverente, Embiggen partner and head of Innovation Consulting.

GIMI executive director Hitendra Patel, director of Strategic Partnerships Erila Haska, and country managing director Asia & Mauritius Rohan Sakpal flew to Manila from GIMI’s headquarters in Massachusetts for the launch event.

“If you want to become great again, you guys have to think bigger and bolder. Very simple to say, but hard to do. You have to aim higher and you have to aim 10 times. The other part of innovation of course is the importance of collaboration and getting together; teams and community... And inside here, whenever you see what’s next and what else, when you come up with great ideas, you have to seize the moment. You can’t let other people seize it; you have to be the first to seize it,” said Patel.

Embiggen founding CEO and managing partner Rolan Marco Garcia said the community can be the main driver of change and success in Filipino businesses in the years to come.

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Email: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.