By Alexis Romero
MANILA, Philippines – It will now be up to the Duterte administration to decide whether to pursue the P16-billion Navy frigate project as the Indian firm that offered the lowest bid has been disqualified by the defense department.
State-run Indian company Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. has offered to supply two ships for P15.047 billion, about P950 million lower than the approved budget for the project.
The company, however, did not meet some post-qualification requirements, Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo told The STAR yesterday.
“The firm from India was post disqualified,” Manalo said. “(The company) is not capable financially as per computation of its net financing contracting capacity.”
The post-qualification phase allows defense officials to determine whether the offer of the lowest bidder complies with technical and financial requirements. The phase involves visits to the headquarters and the inspection of the facilities of the prospective supplier. Manalo said the post-qualification phase for the frigate acquisition project was held last May.
Read the full story at The Philippine Star