Gov’t reviews lone bid for fuel marking project

The lone bidder for the upcoming nationwide fuel marking system proposed a P0.06884 a liter, inclusive of value-added tax, charge for its services.

The proposal of the joint venture between Switzerland-based SICPA SA and SGS Philippines Inc. was below the price ceiling of P0.08 a liter over a five-year period earlier set under the terms of reference of the fuel marking program.

During Friday’s opening of SICPA and SGS’s financial proposal, the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service’s (DBM-PS) bids and awards committee said that the proposed price would be subjected to post-evaluation and negotiation.

The SICPA-SGS partnership earlier met the minimum score of 70 points set under the technical evaluation criteria, making it possible for the DBM-PS committee to scrutinize the financial bid next.

The SICPA-SGS joint venture became the lone remaining bidder after Texas-based Authentix Inc. backed out and did not submit a bid. The bidding process was nonetheless continued as the implementing rules and regulations of RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act) allows a single qualified proposal. —BEN O. DE VERA