The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR) opening of bids for P2.1 billion worth of vessels was delayed again because of a power interruption.
Lawyer Faye Singson, a former assistant prosecutor at the Office of the Ombudsman, said despite the submission of bidding requirements on Oct. 11, 2024 which remained in BFAR’s custody for four calendar days, the opening of bids was rescheduled again for Oct. 16, 2024, due to a reported power disruption in the BFAR building.
The opening of bids was earlier moved from Oct. 11 to Oct. 15, 2024.
Singson also raised concern over the absence of SBAC officials and members of the technical working group (TWG) Tuesday, which caused the postponement of the bidding due to lack of quorum.
Singson said that while power outages could be unpredictable, the timing of the disruption raised questions about the transparency of the procurement process.
She said that it is crucial to ensure that there are adequate backup systems in place to prevent such disruptions from compromising the integrity of public procurement proceedings.
The projects under Bid Reference Nos. 2024-62 and 2024-63 involve the acquisition of multi-mission offshore vessels, refrigerated cargo vessels and steel-hulled fishing vessels.
