ZPPA bans 3 firms
THREE suppliers namely Greenside Investment Limited, FMC Farms Limited and Simuliya Trading Company have been barred from participating in public procurement for conniving in the submission of quotation in a tender by Ministry of Health.
This is according to the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) which has also countered claims suggesting that direct bidding in procurement process is illegal,l stating that it is part of the procurement methods.
On the barring of three suppliers, ZPPA Director General Idah Chella, said the Authority after hearing established that the three suppliers colluded and connived in the submission of quotation in a tender by Ministry of Health.
Ms Chella stated that these were barred during the third quarter of this year.
“The tender was related to the procurement of face masks and re-usable surgical scrubs to support response towards the Covid -19 outbreak a the ministry of Health,” she said yesterday in Lusaka at the ZPPA third quarter briefing.
Ms Chella also said ZPPA suspended six bidders and suppliers from participating in public procurement for a period of one year.
She explained that the action was taken for submitting false insurance bid bonds in the tender for the construction of various projects in Kabuta district under the 2021 Constituency Development FundCDF.
At the same briefing, ZPPA Compliance and Monitoring Manager Chang Lubobya said in line with ZPPA Act, the objective of direct bidding was to achieve timely and efficient procurement where circumstances or value of procurement did not justify or permit the use of competition.
Mr Lubobya explained that from the beginning of 2022 the authority issued secular number one of 2022 where it stated that it will no longer be responsible for the issuance of ‘ No Objection’ to direct bid.
“Procurement entities are however required to follow the laid procedures in section 46 of the ZPPA act in making a decision on direct bidding.
“The Authority did not receive any official objection regarding tender for the supply, delivery, warehousing and distribution of D-compound (basal) and Urea Fertiliser under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP),” he said.