Most of construction equipment made from China, Singapore

CEBU, Philippines – Most of the units of the company that won the bidding for construction equipment for the provincial government were found to have been made in China or Singapore.

Governor Hilario Davide III has approved ConEquip Philippines, Inc. as the bidder with the Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bids (LCRBs) for brand new construction equipment, both light and heavy.

The company will supply equipment with the "Big Yellow" brand.

While the Abstract of Bids of Capitol's Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) showed that ConEquip offered the lowest price for Big Yellow units, it also showed the company has the highest total bid of P250 million since the price of other brands are higher than the other bidders.

The amount is around P15 million higher than the P235 million of RDAK Transport Equipment, Inc. and the P237 million of Civic Merchandising, Inc. which offered mostly Japan-made brands.

Of the 15 items, ConEquip offered eight Big Yellow pieces of equipment made from China or Singapore.

These include two five-ton boom truck worth P4,935,000 each; 4x2 water tank truck worth P6,926,296; 4x2 dump truck worth P5,123,000; two 10-wheeler body self-loader truck worth P6,429,600 each; eight 4x2 dump trucks with a total amount of P40,984,000; and forklift worth P3,027,740.

The other items include two Japanese brand Komatsu crawler tractors worth P23,900,000 each; three hydraulic excavators with a total amount of P32,700,000; two pay loaders worth P31,800,000; and two motor graders worth P32,800,000; two India Dynapac vibratory rollers worth P12,859,200; and a US Bobcat new man lift worth P13,850,900.

The BAC documents are still pending before the Ad-Hoc Committee in the Provincial Board chaired by Board Member Grecilda Sanchez-Zaballero for review before Davide gets the authority to enter into and sign the contract.

Davide, however, has already signed the Notice of Award for ConEquip.

Both RDAK and Civic also submitted letters asking BAC for reconsideration, citing deficiencies in the bidding process.

ConEquip was actually disqualified in the pre-qualification bid but asked for reconsideration which BAC, chaired by Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino, granted and paved the way for the company to pass in the post-qualification. —/JMO (FREEMAN)