PSALM starts bid process for 4 power barges

, which manages the supply of electricity from the government’s remaining power generators, said Thursday it would sell four power barges by October this year.

In a statement, PSALM said it had published on July 18 the invitation to bid for Power Barges (PBs) 101, 102, 103 and 104, signaling the commencement of the bidding process for the power assets.

Interested parties are required to submit to PSALM a letter of interest not later than 5 p.m. on Aug. 1, 2013. Participants will be required to execute and submit a confidentiality agreement and undertaking with PSALM, and pay a non-refundable participation fee of P120,000 not later than 5 p.m. of Aug. 2 as a prerequisite for the release of the bidding package, PSALM said.

The pre-bid conference on the tender will be held on Aug. 7 and the deadline for the submission of bids is on Oct. 9 at 12 noon, after which the bids will be opened and evaluated, PSALM said.

PSALM president and chief executive officer Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. said significant changes had been incorporated in the sale of PBs 101-104 to address the bidders’ previous concerns.

“We are selling the Iloilo-based PBs 101-103 as one package and Davao-based PB 104 as another package. Transfer to Mindanao will no longer be a requirement for PBs 101-103, but the winning bidder for PB 104 will be required to operate the barge in Mindanao for at least five years,” Ledesma said.