Laptop scheme: HEC refuses to address Transparency International Pakistan concerns

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has refused to address concerns raised by Transparency International Pakistan on bidding documents of the Rs 20 billion Phase-II Prime Minister's Laptop Scheme. HEC argued that the objection of Transparency International Pakistan is not aligned with the project objectives and beyond its control in the prevailing situation and so cannot be acceded to.
This was stated in a letter, a copy of which has been sent to Secretary to the Prime Minster, Director General National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Chairman Prime Minister's Inspection Commission and Registrar Supreme Court of Pakistan, and Managing Director PPRA.
Transparency International Pakistan had earlier apprised Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman HEC, of its reservations about the Request for Proposals (RFP) of Rs 20 billion Phase- II of the Prime Minister Laptops Scheme for 4 year procurement of 400,000 laptops.
Transparency International Pakistan had stated that HEC and Haier announced in 2014 May that Haier will set-up a laptop manufacturing plant in Pakistan under contract awarded to them for 100,000 laptops. But they failed to fulfil the commitment or set-up the plant, and therefore the HEC tender is oriented towards a single source. In the 16 May 2015 meeting, Transparency International Pakistan expressed serious reservations and refused to support the Laptop procurement tender, unless the condition of local manufacturing was deleted. Transparency International Pakistan further stated that NAB does not allow mis-procurement, and it is better to be late than make a wrong procurement, which may be mis-procurement.
HEC responded that the matter of local assembly plant was discussed in detail during pre-bid meeting held on April 21, 2015 with all potential bidders, and it was bidders' recommendation to give at least six months for setting up local assembling facility. The local production of 100,000 laptops has been estimated on an average production capacity of assembly line of 1,200 laptops, so to produce 100,000 laptops in next four months would take 88 working days. There is no such compulsion as per PPRA Rule 27, and so as such it is not considered either mis-procurement or wrong procurement.