In the wake of Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha’s July meeting with the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Chairman Lionel Wordsworth has yet to provide a promised update on the status of documentation required by the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) on the Belle Vue Pump Station project.
Wordsworth, who spoke with Stabroek News (SN) yesterday, said that he first needs to “update” himself before he can offer any new information on the matter. The last communication from Wordsworth had assured an update by August 26, 2024, but no new details have been forthcoming.
The PPC has confirmed to SN that the NDIA has still not submitted the necessary documentation. This issue stems from a controversial contract awarded to Tepui Inc. for the Belle Vue pump station, which has faced scrutiny over the violations of procurement guidelines. Mustapha had previously promised to address the situation and ensure the NDIA’s compliance with documentation requirements.
On July 17th, Wordsworth had informed SN that the NDIA was in the process of reviewing its response to the PPC’s inquiries. However, despite the PPC’s April 16, 2024 Summary of Findings highlighting deficiencies in the bid evaluation process and recommending close monitoring—and potential termination—of Tepui’s contract, the NDIA has yet to act on these recommendations.
The PPC said “…on the entry into a contract, privity of contract issues arise. There is nothing within the statutory framework which permits the commission to revoke, rescind, recall and or in any way alter, suspend or stop the contract once entered”.
The award of the $865m Belle Vue Pump Station to Tepui Inc had raised questions from the outset as its key principal, Mikhail Rodrigues was not involved in construction.
In its 35-page summary of April 16, 2024, the PPC elicited answers from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) – whose evaluation committee made the choice of Tepui – and the procuring agency, the NDIA. Not only were both tardy in answering the PPC, they only provided some of the documents requested.
Tepui was required to have had the experience of having completed one project of a similar nature within the past five years. Similar projects “shall include pump stations, sluices and drainage structures”. Having been incorporated less than a year before, Tepui did not have these qualifications, yet the evaluation committee of the NPTAB found its bid to be responsive.
When the PPC asked the NPTAB and the NDIA to justify their decision, they cited what they described as similar-type of works which Tepui had done for other clients. They also admitted that two other tenderers for pump stations were similarly not qualified but that “lenience” was showed.
The summary of findings said that Tepui itself submitted as part of its tender, a letter addressed to the NDIA and dated June 13th, 2023, under the hand of “Winston Martindale, Director” captioned “Record of Past Work Experience” in which it is stated – “Our company was registered in August 2022 and has now commenced the process of bidding for projects, hence we do not have any past work experience but our team of personnel have years of experience under upgrading and rehabilitation of roads as indicated on their respective resumes.”
Tepui also did not provide a bank line of credit. It provided a line of credit issued by Puran Bros. Later, a letter of credit issued by Caricom General Insurance Company also appeared but this also was ineligible.
Tepui did not submit – as required – an audited financial statement as it was not in existence for a year.
In terms of equipment requirements, Tepui, the summary of findings said, did not show evidence of three pieces of equipment.
It also fell short of its bid security requirement.
