Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
THE Parliament of Zimbabwe has refuted allegations that payment was made for overpriced Information Communication Technology (ICT) equipment, highlighting that their internal processes red-flagged the deal when it became apparent that the laptops and desktop computers had been overpriced.
Blinart Investments P/L, and Mid-End Computers and Hardware from Harare, were the two selected to supply the equipment, with the former meant to supply 79 desktop computers and the later 173 laptops. The laptops were each valued at US$9 264,48 while desktop computers were each valued at US$3 076,61.
Despite the two companies being awarded the tender, Permanent Secretary for Finance and Economic Development, Mr George Guvamatanga wrote to Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda on 14 September, indicating that the tender had been cancelled. In his letter, Mr George Guvamatanga said:
“Treasury notes with concern that these suppliers are charging US$9 264,48 and US$3 076,61 for a laptop and desktop, respectively. These US dollar prices have been exorbitantly inflated way beyond those that are prevailing in the market and hence, are not acceptable. Notwithstanding the high prices, this tender award is in complete disregard of the Treasury minute dated 3 August 2022, directing line Ministries to ensure value for money for Government and hence, to rationalise all procurement processes with a view to operating within the confines of the willing buyer willing seller foreign exchange rate. In this regard and to ensure value for money for Government, in line with the Public Finance Management Act (Chapter 22:19) which empowers Treasury to manage and control public resources, Treasury directs that this tender be cancelled and the concerned suppliers be blacklisted from any future Government procurement process.”
Permanent Secretary for Finance and Economic Development ,Mr George Guvamatanga
In a statement yesterday, Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda said the tender for the acquisition of the ICT equipment had gone through normal procurement processes. Mr Chokuda said that while the tenders had gone through normal procurement processes, upon further review, parly recognised that it had been overcharged for the equipment hence the decision to rescind the tender.
“In compliance with the national procurement procedures, the submissions were duly considered by the Evaluation Committee and forwarded for further scrutiny by the Special Procurement Oversight Committee (Spoc). It is during these processes that two companies were cleared as meeting the set criteria, including the lowest price submissions payable in local currency. According to procurement regulations, it is a mandatory requirement that all bidders are made aware of the results of the tender process as reflected in the said signed letter being circulated on social media. However, while all the procurement processes had been adhered to and cognisant of the need to exercise prudence and probity in all procurement processes, our due diligence processes indicated that the prices quoted were highly inflated. It is at this particular point that on Friday 19 August 2022. I, as the Accounting Officer, directed the Parliament’s Director Procurement Unit, in the presence of the Director Audit, to initiate cancellation of the tender and to proceed with retendering as the quoted prices were not justified,” Mr Chokuda said.
The Clerk of Parliament said no contracts had been signed or payment made to the two companies that have since been blacklisted by government.
“It is in this regard, that no contract has been signed with any of the two suppliers, and no payment processes have been activated in respect of the two suppliers. As an institution of Parliament, we continually review our procurement processes and procedures and this incident provides an opportunity for us to reflect on our processes to make them more tight and robustly transparent. Parliament wishes to inform the public that we are conscious of our responsibility to the nation and it will always be guided by the need to get value for money in all its procurement processes,” he said.