Transactions for NBI clearance processing system aboveboard - Gatdula

MANILA, Philippines – National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Magtanggol Gatdula yesterday assured the public that all transactions related to a new system for NBI clearance processing would be aboveboard and transparent.

Gatdula gave the assurance in a letter to The STAR in reaction to the column of Babe Romualdez last June 2 wherein the columnist raised concerns that with the NBI’s contract with Mega Data Corp. (MEGA) ending on June 30, “it seems the scene is being set for a third party to come under the guise of an emergency purchase to take over the project without the benefit of any bidding.”

“All transactions related to the procurement of the new system for the clearance processing, whether as a contingency measure or a major acquisition, will be aboveboard and transparent,” Gatdula said.

The NBI has forged a partnership with MEGA for the operation of the NBI Clearance Processing System since 1978. “To date such arrangement is still in force but already by avails of multiple contract extensions,” Gatdula said.

He said the agreement entered into by the NBI and MEGA wherein the latter agreed to provide various computers, data capture, image capture and card production equipment and supplies to service the NBI’s data processing needs was entered on June 4, 1984.

Former NBI officials had endorsed the renewal of the system on a “negotiated basis” noting that “since 1987 no other organization has expressed interest in performing the tasks being done by Mega Data for the NBI whether through an unsolicited proposal or through simple negotiations.”

The NBI chief said the clearance processing system was opened up for bidding in October 2009, but a failure of bidding was declared on Sept. 27, 2010 as several issues came up during the bidding process.

Given the lack of time as MEGA’s contract is about to expire, Gatdula said the most logical course of action was to request for an extension of MEGA’s contract that was eventually granted.

He said he made the last request for extension on Feb. 18, 2011 for a period of six months beginning Jan. 1, 2011.

“When this contract expires on June 30, MEGA will get back all the hardware and software used in the Computerized Clearance Processing System and the NBI will face the possibility of reverting back to the manual process of operating the clearance processing system since it will get nothing after more than 30 years of doing business with MEGA,” Gatdula added.

Gatdula also noted that all undertakings pertaining on the NBI clearance system will now be coursed through a separate Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) in the Department of Justice as provided under Department Order No. 086 issued on Feb. 7, 2011.