Spanish planes meet specs — DND

From the Manila Standard Today (Jan 14): Spanish planes meet specs — DND

The Department of National Defense declared on Monday the Spanish company as the lone bidder that met the initial requirement set for the supply of three brand-new medium-lift aircraft valued at P5.3 billion.

In the pre-bid conference, the DND-Bids and Awards Committee, chaired by Undersecretary Fernando Manalo declared the EADS Casa Airbus Military as the single calculated bidder.

The Spanish Casa Airbus Military is offering the C295 aircraft model, one of which had crashed in Poland in 2008, killing 20 Polish air force personnel.

 The aircraft carrying some Polish officials, crashed two kilometers away from the 12th Police Air Force Base,  located in the Northwest town of  Miroslawiec, Poland at about 7 p.m. on January 23, 2008.

The Czech Republic which procured four C295 aircraft to EADS Casa Airbus Military in 2012,  returned the  planes for failing test. However, the Spanish company, replaced the aircraft last year, a source said.

The Spanish bid was pegged at P5.288 billion for three C295 aircraft, with integrated logistics systems. The DND-BAC found EADS to have passed all the initial technical and financial specifications set.

An Indonesian firm, PT Dirganta, took part in the bidding. However, the aircraft it offered failed to meet the required specifications, including payload and passengers, among others.

Meanwhile, the DND-BAC has given the PT Dirganta three days to submit its formal motion after the company asked the department to  reconsider. DND-BAC will come out with a decision seven days after the receipt of the motion, DND officials said.

EADS Casa Airbus Military took part in the previous bidding for the same aircraft in November but was disqualified for failing to meet documentary requirements, along with another firm, prompting a declaration of bidding failure.

The Alenia Aermachi who was disqualified in the previous tender, attended yesterday’s bidding  to signified it protest. The Italian company was disqualified for not complying documentary requirements.

 Manalo said they will proceed with the next phase, which is post-qualification of EADS Casa Military Airbus, after the resolution of the motion for reconsideration. The post qualification includes inspection of the firm’s facilities and the aircraft it offered.

If the firm passes the post-qualification, the DND-BAC will recommend to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin for the issuance of Notice to Proceed with the acquisition, said Manalo.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/01/14/spanish-planes-meet-specs-dnd/