Local companies have expressed dissatisfaction regarding the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC)’s floated open tender for the supply of bulk heavy fuel oil to Morupule A Power Station. The tender is said to have been previously cancelled. Information passed to this publication this week suggests that Botswana companies are of the view that the tender documentations have been redesigned to favour a foreign company in South Africa, FFS Refiners (Pty) Ltd. Tender No.1364/15-01, a three year contract for supply and delivery of bulk heavy fuel oil (HFO) 150cst to Morupule A Power Station was first issued in 29th February 2016.
Initially the tender was a 30 pages documentation and then later got cancelled and reissued on 6th May 2016 with increased number of pages to 47 which local companies believe that the additional content disadvantages Botswana based companies. FFS Refiners (Pty) Ltd is said to be the largest supplier of industrial heating fuels in South Africa which has been getting other previous jobs through tendering processes.
“The new request for proposal has a lot of requirements which us local companies do not that such as information on value of the services provided by our firms under the contract in US$ or Euro,” said some anonymous company owner. Infact, some industry players in the local market suspects and speculate that the tender has been awarded to South African FFS Refiners (Pty) Ltd even before evaluation and awarding stages. When contacted BPC Public Relations Manager Dineo Seleke said this was an open tender invitation to which interested local and foreign companies could respond. She stated that the Request for Proposal (RfP) required that bids be valid for a period of sixty (60) days from the closing date during which period evaluation and awarding of the tender would be undertaken. “The tender is currently at evaluation stage therefore the Corporation is unable to provide further details on this tender until the process is complete,” she said.
Seleke stated that Botswana Power Corporation floated the Request for Proposal (RfP) for the tender in question (Tender No. 1364/15 ÔÇô 02 for the supply of bulk heavy fuel oil (HFO) 150cst to Morupule “A” Power Station) on 6th May 2016 with closing date 01st June 2016. “Should any interested party be aggrieved with the tender process of the tender in question, instructions of logging complains are available in the BPC tender regulations,” said Seleke.
