KARACHI: Despite the instructions given by the Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPPRA) directing the Hyderabad XEN Building Division (HXBD) to cancel all the hidden Notice Inviting Tenders (NITs) and publicise new ones after fulfilling all the formalities which were not observed previously, sources say that HXBD is set to proceed with approving tenders on April 13 (tomorrow) of those already selected under the hidden NITs to the favourites, which would be a breach of SPRAA orders.
According to the sources, HXBD is likely to award tenders using the hidden NITs to favourite contractors in sheer violation of the SPPRA orders.
The sources further said that more than a dozen government contractors have also complained about the hiding of the NITs by the SPPRA officials, however, no action has so far been taken against those involved.
A contractor namely S & Sons, who has a good reputation in district Hyderabad, submitted a written complaint with the SPPRA on April 10, 2018, pointing out the malpractices by the Hyderabad XEN Building Division, along with the officials of SPPRA for hiding an NIT of Rs35 million.
The HXBD issued tender/bidding documents to its blue-eyed contractors to award the contract in return for heavy bribes, the sources told Pakistan Today. “HXBD is not fair with the bidders and also violating the set rules of procurement while procuring goods, works or services and the procurements were not conducted in a transparent manner in terms of Rule-4 of the Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPPRA) Rules, 2010 (Amended 2013)”, sources added.
Interestingly, sources added that HXBD had also invited a hidden NIT vide TC/G-55/1412 of 2017 dated 6-12-2017 for Rs64 million that was also kept secret while the NIT was not published in the leading newspapers.
According to sources, the IT section of the SPPRA has allegedly been involved in hiding tenders from the authority’s website on the day tenders worth millions were awarded to the blue-eyed contractors.
The sources informed that in the recent past, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had also launched investigations into the matter citing it as cybercrime while the anti-corruption authorities also raided and seized the record few days ago.
While receiving the complaints from contractors with documentary pieces of evidence, the SPPRA in-charge forwarded a letter to the HCBD to cancel the above NIT and post fresh NIT along with a set of bidding documents. However, the said official is not ready to honour the orders of the tendering authority, sources said.
Pakistan Today repeatedly tried to contact HXBD in-charge Salahuddin Farooque Qazi, however his cell phone remained unattended till filing of the report.
