Pakistan Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPPRA) has accused Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) for violating period requirement rules in tender of transport acquiring for sugar export to Tajikistan. Sources told Business Recorder on Monday that TCP has been accused by PPRA for issuing a short period tender for hiring of transport for sugar export to Tajikistan.
On August 15, Pakistan and Tajikistan have been agreed on a sugar export deal of 30,000 metric tons, to be exported through state run grain trader-Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) via land route. As per discussion between officials of both countries, it was decided that TCP will deliver commodity at Amangarh, district Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (close to Toorkham border) and transportation of sugar from Amangarh to Dushanbe (Tajikistan Border) will be responsibility of Tajikistan authorities.
As per discussion TPC issued a tender for hiring of transport to deliver sugar at Amangarh. First tender was issued on August 30, 2012 with opening date of September 6, 2012, for transportation of 30,000 tons of sugar packed in 50 kilogram bags laying at different sugar mills in the province of Punjab to Amangarh District Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). In this tender transporters were asked to submit quotation including un-loading at Amangarh and all taxes (toll tax) on trucks.
As per planned TCP opened its tender on September 6, 2012 and received good response as a large number of pre-qualified transporters participated in the tender. Meantime, when TCP was analysing transporters bids, Tajikistan authorities requested for transport facilitation and asked TCP to issue another tender for transport hiring from Amangarh to Dushanbe (Tajikistan Boarder).
Therefore, TCP issued another tender for transport hiring with a time validity of four days as Tajikistan government was seeking early delivery of sugar. Secondly, the tender was issued on September 7, 2012, with opening date of September 11, 2012. In the second tender TCP invited bid from pre-qualified transporters for transport of 30,000 tons of white refined sugar, packed in 50 kilogram from various sugar mills of Punjab/ KPK to Dushanbe Republic of Tajikistan.
In the second tender, TCP asked bidders to submit offers separately for two sectors, ie from various mills of Punjab/KPC to Amangarh/ Peshawar/Torkham Boarder and secondly Amangarh/ Peshawar/Torkham Boarder to Dushanbe Tajikistan. According to second tender, rates for transportation from Amangarh Pakistan to Dushanbe Tajikistan are only being requested in order to facilitate the government of Tajikistan and this sector will be paid separately by the Tajikistan government without any risk and liability on the part of TCP.
As per PPPRA rules minimum validity of domestic tender should not be less than 15 days and for international tender it should be 30 days, however TCP issued second tender for a short time and opened it in just four days. Therefore, PPPRA has accused TCP for not fulfilling tendering time validity rules and seek clarification on the issue. Sources said that PPPRA has sent a letter to TCP, seeking clarification on the issue.
Responding the issue a high official of TCP has said that state run grain trader has issued a short term tender following the relaxation given by concern authority. He said PPPRA has allowed for relaxation in tender validity requirement in urea tender as TCP deal only through pre-qualified suppliers. About two months back, PPPRA allowed TCP to issue an international tender for urea procurement with a time validity of 15 days instead of requirement of 30 days as TCP was procuring urea only from pre-qualified suppliers, he mentioned.
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