By Jaime Laude
MANILA, Philippines - The programmed purchase of two Navy vessels is on track, with the scheduled opening of bids next month.
Department of National Defense Bids and Award Committee (DND-BAC) chair Assistant Secretary Efren Fernandez said in a public notice the multibillion defense acquisition project is still open for interested but qualified foreign and local contractors before the holding of the pre-bid conference scheduled on July 2.
“Bid opening shall be on July 15 at 10 a.m., at the DND-BAC Conference Room. Bids will be opened in the presence of bidders’ representatives. Late bids shall not be accepted,” Fernandez said.
He added that bids received in excess of the Approved Budget for the Contract, a funding sourced from the AFP Modernization Act Trust Fund, would be automatically rejected at the bid opening.
The winning bidder is required to deliver the first Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) within 730 calendar days from the opening of the Letter of Credit and the second SSV to be delivered a year later, Fernandez said.
The delivery of the first SSV is expected to take place in 2015 and the second in 2016 before the term of President Aquino ends.
Read the full story at The Philippine Star