NTC Tender: CPB Insists on Its Independence

The standoff between the Central Procurement Board (CPB) and the chairman of the National Transport Company (NTC) is nearing completion. The CPB has once again responded to criticism of the latter, made especially in the Express on Friday July 12. In his interview, the latter in particular raised the independence of the body, even claiming that it is the Minister of Transport, Anil Bachoo, which drew in the shadow, the strings on the cancellation of a tender by the NTC for the purchase of 65 buses in 2012. Already this July 14, in the express-Sunday, he insists that "the Ministry of Transport has attempted to replace the board of the NTC for the purchase of 65 buses" ...

Through a statement issued Saturday, July 13, the CPB said he, that the cancellation of the tender was made independently. And he is convinced he made the right decision in the best interests " of the NTC and the state. " CPB particularly emphasizes the fact that the specifications for the purchase of these buses do not allow " competition fair. " In this sense, he says, "has rebid with revised specifications exercise would definitely enable the NTC to strike a better deal. "

The chairman of the NTC had also raised the argument that the law provides negotiations as part of this tender and thus, they could be conducted with ABC Motors , the compliant bidder .CPB says he, that, according to the Public Procurement Regulations , these negotiations may be conducted when a bidder has made an offer to a large extent, above the estimated cost and a new year is not practical. But, says the CPB, in this case, a new exercise could be undertaken in the interest of the NTC. Even if the price 'of ABC Motors exceeded Rs 180 million, covering the NTC had planned to acquire the buses.

Regarding the claim 's Iframac, evoked by Ashwin Dookun, the CPB said that the private firm has no issue with the exercise time. But she made statements, as two other companies about the bus specifications.