Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) selected Value Partner Management Consulting Limited (VPMCL) as consultant for the auction of next generation (3G/4G licenses). Well-placed sources told Business Recorder that the Authority had accepted the financial bid (demand) of $1.5 million for the spectrum auction. The consortium got maximum marks in technical and financial evaluation and was finally selected.
With the appointment of consultant, a major step in the spectrum auction would be completed. The auction process as indicated by PTA is expected to be completed by February 24, 2014. The consultant would help in timely finalisation of important aspects of the upcoming auction such as Information Memorandum (IM) for intended bidders, method of auction and the base price.
The VPMCL, which is a consortium consultant of USA, UK, Singapore and Spain, will be invited to sign a contract with PTA within next 10 days, and in case of success the firm would be formally hired for consultancy services for spectrum auction.
For the hiring of consultant, PTA had placed advertisement in national and international newspapers. In response to the advertisements, it received bids from seven world-renowned consultants. PTA constituted an evaluation committee to go through the proposals diligently particularly technical and financial aspects of the bids and finalised the consultant in accordance with Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules under the policy directive of the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecom (MoIT&T).
After a detailed review of the financial bids, opened on November 23, 2013 in the presence of all five bidders, who qualified during the evaluation of technical bids, Value Partner Management Consulting Limited was declared successful.
The VPMC, with its head office in Milan, Italy, has presence in seven countries across Europe, Asia and South America. As a first step, the consultant would prepare the Information Memorandum for auction of next generation licenses, which according to the officials is likely to take one month. After finalisation of IM around mid-January it will be floated into the market for telecom operators to get themselves prepared for the 3G auction. The selected consultant firm would be responsible for providing professional analysis, input, and advice/recommendations on the whole auction process as per PTA's RFP and ToR, and for the successful completion of auction in a transparent manner, averting collusion and ensuring competition in the auction process.