SMC in process of awarding ‘suspicious’ consultancy tender

Srinagar, Feb 21, KDC:

Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has floated tender multiple times and extended the same not less than half a dozen times for appointment of Project management consultancy cum independent engineering unit for advisory services to implement the best practices of solid waste and sanitation management in accordance to SBM Rule 2016 and Swach Bharat Mission-2.

SMC is an urban body catering the urban challenges within the limits of Srinagar and apart from other developmental and social services is also responsible for sanitation and waste management issues too. Therefore to implement the Swachh Bharat Mission the City Corporation is availing the services of experts on outsource basis for which it has been floating the tenders to hire the services of organisations having the relevant experiences.

Insiders in the corporation told Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Dot Com that in such a one case the SMC had floated a tender on 29/01/2022 to hire the services of experts from organisations having relevant experience and laid a criteria for selection of Project Management cum Engineering consultancy, where in all types of organisations from partnership firms to registered limited companies both private and public, societies registered under relevant societie’s act and same tender was extended almost thrice but finally couldn’t be finalised though around ten organisations participated.

Then SMC floated same tender on 02/05/2022 with same criteria and this time this tender too got warm response from bidders however, the contract committee of SMC evaluated the proposals submitted by bidders and finally declared six bidders technically eligible, but even after opening of financial bids the tender was not awarded to anyone due to unknown reasons, they said.

Finally, SMC again floated the same tender after a long gap on July 2023 with a little modification in eligible criteria that is this time SMC did not allow organisations registered under societies act to participate, the insiders said, adding that though tender being a QCBS (Quality cum cost based services) where the Corporation shall attract more competition rather than decreasing competition by not allowing organisations registered under societies act has raised many questions.

Experts believe almost 50 percent of organisations in India are registered under society’s act. And this type of tender with a social mission is to be implemented (SBM), what is the motive behind not allowing the societies to participate, asked bidders who have posted pre-bid queries to the tender floating authority of SMC, but were not replied at all.

Bidders who participated in bidding process believe societies quote very competitive rates as are exempted by many complaisance’s etc and do work under a mission mode.

If the same tender is awarded to a partnership/ private/ public firm, the same tender may cost more to the state exchequer, said a procurement expert in Srinagar.

The bidders have asked the Commissioner Secretary Housing and Urban affairs to clear the air of ‘suspicion’ on the transparency of the said tender before it costs exorbitant to the exchequers.

Sources said that Anti-Corruption-Bureau (ACB) has already taken cognizance of the incident and investigation of this matter is going on. (KDC)