Corporates tender fight delays Huduma pay cards contract
The supply of eectronic payment system for public servies offered through the now popular Hudma centres has suffered a setback aftert the National Bank of Kenya succesfully challenged the award of the multibillion shilling contract earlier awarded to Equity Bank and later nulified by the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB).
The Business Daily reports that the procurement board has since ordered a fresh round of bidding.
“The board directs the procuring entity to commence the process afresh,” the PRARB said in a ruling that came about after there tendering irregularities and various complaints by the losing bidders, including the sudden change of venue by the procuring entity, the Ministry of Planning and Devolution.
In September last year, the government invited bids to develop innovative solutions, systems and platforms for the registration and issuance of cards that will be used for cashless transactions in Huduma centres, generating interest from 11 entities that incuded Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA), Kenya Post Office Savings Bank, I&A Capital and Commercial (K) Limited, National Bank of Kenya (NBK), Web Tribe Limited, Safaricom Business, Jamii Bora Bank, Cooperative Bank of Kenya, Equity Bank, Attain Enterprise Solutions Limited and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB).
By October 10, 2014, only CBA, NBK, Equity Bank and KCB were aloowed to go into the next roundand ssued with a Request for Proposal (RFP) on October 29, 2014 with November 10, 2014 as the deadline for submission of bids.
Come the deadline only Equity was able to submit the technical and financial bid but days later NBK lodged a complaint with the PRARB on November 21, 2014 seeking nullification citing a flawed process.
In its petition NBK says the ministry engaged the in a cat and mouse chase that inluded changing the earlier venue of 8th floor Harambee House Nairobi severally and finally they were disquaified rom the tender.