DND bidding for upgrade of Navy patrol ship fails

MANILA, Philippines - The bidding for the upgrade of the Navy’s patrol ship BRP Artemio Ricarte failed as the lone bidder for the project failed to meet some documentary requirements.

The STAR learned that Keppel Marine Philippines Inc., the only firm that submitted a bid, was declared ineligible during the bidding for the P216-million project held early this month.

The Defense department’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) found a deficiency in one of the documents submitted by the company.

Under the rules, a company should satisfy all documentary requirements to be declared an eligible bidder.

The documents for the upgrade project have been returned to the Navy for a mandatory review. End-users of the projects conduct reviews after failed biddings to determine if some adjustments should be made.

The BAC will likely hold another round of bidding for the project, which aims to boost the Navy’s maritime security capabilities.