Transparency questions award of pharmaceutical contract
22 January 2014
PAUL OATES
IN AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT over ongoing concerns about the awarding of a contract for the supply and distribution of pharmaceuticals to PNG Health Centres, Transparency International (PNG) has called for an explanation over the obvious abnormalities in statements by PNG Tenders Board’s and the Department of Health.
TIPNG maintains the matter cannot go unchallenged and that comments made by the Secretary of the Department of Health and others raise serious questions about the contract being awarded to Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals.
"We do not see the comments as valid and challenge CSTB and the Health Department to reveal how they plan to prove our fears wrong," TIPNG said.
TIPNG questions the legality of the tender process that appears to have been altered once underway and also whether the eventual decision is indeed valid at all.
In addition, TIPNG asks why the tender that was K20million more than the lowest tender was accepted when it didn’t apparently meet the advertised conditions set out for the tender?
"As we see it either there are some very confused public officials in our system or there is a deliberate attempt being made to hide the truth. TIPNG is quoted as saying.
"The simple facts as we understand them are that a supply tender was invited from qualified bidders, the process was interrupted, changes were made to the requirements and a contract appears to have been inappropriately awarded to a disqualified bidder at a shockingly inflated price.
If we are wrong tell us where we are wrong.’’
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