Lone bidder SGS of Switzerland will likely be tapped to conduct tests on Mitsubishi Montero units with alleged sudden unintended acceleration, a case still pending before the Consumer Protection Group of the Trade Department.
Trade Undersecretary Victorio Dimagiba said in a breifing the department had not evaluated yet the technical and fiscal components of the SGS offer.
“But if it is a good bid, if they comply with the four required tests, we will award them the contract,” he said in a briefing Tuesday.
CPG has temporarily set the contract awarding on April 20. SGS tendered about P8.9 million for the services.
The third party is expected to be capable of conducting four separate tests on full vehicle assessment, eletromagnetic compatibility, emissions and component testing on radio disturbance or interference to determine if there was SUA or not.
CPG and Mirsubishi Motor Philippines Corp. will bring to the third party assessor five vehicles with SUA but which have not been handled by the Mitsubishi maintenance team for repair.
The CPG is confident the case would soon come to a resolution by mid-June 2016.
The Trade Department has alloted P9 million for testing expenses while Mitsubishi will cover the costs of transporting via air freight Montero units that will be subjected to tests.
Meanwhile, the Fair Trade Bureau disclosed it has recieved 19 more complaints for SUA as of February 17.
The department received 21 complaints from 2014 to 2016, in which 14 have been resolved while seven are still under mediation