Canceling the 70 billion VND project bid in Lam Dong, clarifying the investor's violations

On July 20, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Phuc, Vice Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, has just directed the handling of the bidding for package 3 of the project to build infrastructure for the clay mining area at Thanh My tunnel brick factory, invested by the Management Board of Construction Investment Projects and Public Works of Don Duong District (Project Management Board).

The province also agreed to suspend the bidding and not recognize the contractor selection results for package No. 3 with a total capital of nearly 70 billion VND, because the project management board violated the provisions of the Law on Bidding. This investor was also determined to have violated the provisions on preparing and appraising bidding documents according to the regulations of the Ministry of Planning and Investment; and determined the construction level not in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Construction .

Don Duong district was assigned to review and clarify the responsibilities of organizations and individuals involved in the above violations and adjust, supplement, and complete the procedures for re-bidding package No. 3 in accordance with regulations.

Headquarters of the Management Board of Construction Investment and Public Works Project of Don Duong district.

The Provincial Department of Planning and Investment shall base on the regulations on bidding to handle or propose to competent authorities to handle violations in the bidding process of the above-mentioned package, and provide specific instructions on the responsibility for compensation for damages to related parties.

Previously, VietNamNet reported that in December 2022, the Don Duong District Project Management Board, the investor, invited bids for package 3 of the project directly, with a total project cost of more than 70 billion VND. Two contractors passed the technical evaluation stage. However, in April 2023, when the investor opened the financial proposal for the above package, only one consortium of contractors participated.

The remaining unit was absent, citing the reason that the company had not received any notice from the investor. Believing that the investor had opened the financial proposal in a non-transparent manner, which affected the company's legitimate rights, the company reported and requested clarification of the bidding and contractor selection process.

Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee requested Don Duong District People's Committee, Department of Planning and Investment and related units to inspect and clarify. During the verification, the Department of Planning and Investment determined that the investor had violated a number of bidding contents, conflicts in the process of preparing bidding documents, bid evaluation, unfair competition, etc., causing the contractor to petition. Based on the above, the department proposed that the Provincial People's Committee "suspend the bidding", "not recognize the results of the technical evaluation step of contractor selection", "cancel the decision to approve the bidding documents".

Up to now, the Provincial People's Committee has suspended the bidding and does not recognize the results of the technical evaluation of the contractor selection for the above package No. 3.

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