PM highlights tenders process

By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong 16 March 2019, 12:00AM

Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Dr. Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, has reiterated the importance and the transparent nature of the Government’s tendering process.

He made the point on Thursday, praising the work of local company, Craig Construction Ltd, who won the bid to construct the $25 million Maota Fono at Mulinu’u.

Speaking during the official opening of the jointly funded Maota Fono, Tuilaepa said the public tender process followed standard procedure and was transparent.

The Tenders Board, he said, involved two Cabinet Ministers, the Attorney General as well as technical experts including engineers.

All these experts, he said, review individual bids before they arrive at the decision to award the contract to any company.

“The tenders are then open to Tendering Committee that include the Minister of Finance, Minister of Works, engineers and Attorney General and other technicians to ensure that processes is correctly carried out,” he said.

“The Committee then submits the tenders which are open in the presence of all the tenderers so each tenderer can know what the other guy tendered for.

“An evaluation is then carried out by specialised committee and that evaluation will then be presented to the Tenders Committee for their final analysis before submission for Cabinet’s final approval.”

The Prime Minister said the point about the Government following proper procedures when it comes to tenders is important to highlight.

He said the Government is often accused of being corrupt when it comes to these things when that is clearly not the case, adding that there is a process to be followed.

Besides, there are 13 Cabinet Ministers - including the Prime Minister – who will also discuss the recommendation presented to them.

And in some cases, there are times when Cabinet refers the bid back to the Tenders Committee for a further evaluation.

“Why I have stressed this very point is we have often been condemned for corruption in the decision making relating to the choice of tenders,” he said.

The new Maota Fono was designed and managed by the Manteena Company of Australia and its team of consultants with the workmanship undertaken by local contractor, Craig Construction Limited.

Craig’s Construction started work on the Parliament House in May 2016.

By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong 16 March 2019, 12:00AM

Trending Stories

Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>