Local companies miss over E450m EEC contracts

MBABANE – Two contracts worth over E450 million were last year awarded to companies abroad, as no local bids were received.

Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd and Transrail Lighting Ltd were enlisted as the best evaluated tenderers for Eswatini Electricity Company’s (EEC) two contracts.

EEC was looking for a contractor to construct three new 20MVA 132/11kV substations at Hluthi, Matsanjeni and Lavumisa, 132kV Bay extension at existing Nhlangano II substation for network reinforcement, a project financed by the World Bank.

The proposed contract price for the tender was E365 758 494.52

Worth noting, the tender was non-exclusive, bids were open to both local and international companies.

Preferences

This is in line with the provision and procurement of tenders in the Public Procurement Regulations which states that local companies will be granted preferences in the evaluation of non-exclusive tenders in public procurement.

Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd was competing with four other international companies for the tender, which includes Sinohydro Corporation Ltd from China, Transrail Lighting Ltd from India, Elsewedy Electric T & D from Egypt and A consortium of Siemens Enegy (Pty) Ltd from South Africa.

Local companies did not bid for the contract. The total evaluated score for the other four companies were not revealed in the tender document and it was indicated that Siemens Energy (Pty) Ltd was rejected as the company failed to meet preliminary requirement for the tender.

EEC said Sinohydro Corporation LTD was rejected because they were out priced for the tender. Transrail Lighting Ltd was also rejected because they were out priced.

EEC was the procuring entity for the tender which was approved by the authority of the Board.

EEC further intended to spend another E174 million on transmission lines. Transrail Lighting Ltd was enlisted as the best evaluated tenderer for the tender.