Bidding for DND Hyperbaric Chamber Project now open

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 4): Bidding for DND Hyperbaric Chamber Project now open

The Department of National Defense (DND) has formally opened the bidding for its Hyberbaric Chamber Project last Thursday.

This is in-line with President Rodrigo Duterte's order to procure the needed medical equipment for the AFP Medical Center within 60 days.

The latter is the facility where majority of the troops, wounded in the almost three months fighting in Marawi City, are being treated.

As of this posting, an estimated 900 soldiers were reported wounded in the ongoing efforts to contain the Maute Group terrorists.

Conflict with the lawless elements started when government troops tried to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader and ISIS "emir" Isnilon Hapilon last May 23.

The Hyperbaric Chamber Acquisition Project is a priority of the national government, with the budget coming from the Office of the President, said DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong.

He added the medical equipment will hasten the recovery of the sick or wounded military personnel.

"We hope to give our wounded soldier-heroes the best medical care by upgrading our military hospitals and facilities nationwide, beginning with the AFP Medical Center. Nais ng Pangulo na tiyakin ang kagalingan at kalusugan ng ating mga sundalo bilang pagkilala sa kanilang kagitingan at sakripisyo para sa bayan," Andolong stressed.

DND assistant secretary for financial management and bids and awards chair Josue Gaverza emphasized during the bid opening the need to expedite the procurement process.

"While the bids and awards committee will strictly adhere to Republic Act 9184 and its implementing rules and regulations in the spirit of transparency, accountability, and fairness, we are also duty bound to ensure expediency because this project will benefit not only the soldiers, but their families as well. We also have to abide by the President’s directive to put more premium on quality rather than cost," he added.

Four proponents participated in the bid opening for the said acquisition project with an approved budget for contract of PHP94,250,000.

These are Medcare Supplies, MRL Cybertec Corporation, Deutsche Motorgerate, Inc., and a joint venture between Variance Trading Corporation and Cartal Enterprises.

After examination of the technical and financial proposals, MRL Cybertec Corporation and Deutsche Motorgerate, Inc., were declared ineligible to bid for the project for failure to meet the eligibility requirements.

Only MRL Cybertec Corporation signified no interest to file a motion for reconsideration. After the mandatory, non-discretionary pass-or-fail evaluation of all bidders, Medcare Supplies and the joint venture of Variance Trading Corporation and Cartal Enterprises were declared as having the lowest and second lowest calculated bids, respectively.

The Notice of Award will be given to the lowest calculated bidder if it passes the post-qualification process.

Members of the media and third party observers also attended the bid opening.

Aside from the Hyperbaric Chamber, the AFP Medical Center is also acquiring a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Machine and a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, and Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL) Machine, all of which had been bidded out.

The DND BAC expressed its appreciation and thanks to its proponents for the participation in the bidding of this project, and encouraged them, as well as other interested parties, to participate in future DND-AFP procurement projects.

 http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1004762