GM/IRCON adamant on favoring a particular firm

Admin

The General Manager, Mr #IPSharma of IRCON International Limited, No. 12, Kinross Avenue, Colombo-04, Shri Lanka, floated a IRCON’s tender no. #IRCON/S&T/1800021/9902 Dated: 21.08.2023 for the work of “Design, Supply, Installation, Testing and Commissioning of Electronic Interlocking Based Signalling System from Maho to Anuradhapura section of Shri Lanka Railway” at a total cost of $85,01,177 which is equivalent to Rs. 70.63 crore. The work is under Director/Works of IRCON.

Despite of many complaints and assurance given by Mr I. P. Sharma, GM/IRCON and the tendering authority, that the #qualifying-criteria of the #Tender will be modified so that all the eligible Indian #contractors will qualify and participate in this tender but Mr I.P.Sharma due to his greed has decided not to change the #criteria of – “The bidder should have experience of execution of work in Foreign Country.”

#Railwhispers have enquired the matter in detail through our source and noticed that the Essential qualifying criteria of the above tender has been modified quietly for personal benefit.

GM/IRCON Mr I. P. Sharma is allegedly silent partner in the Jaipur based concerned firm and has favoured them in past many contracts. The Jaipur based firm has worked with IRCON’s Mr I. P. Sharma in previous tender of Shri Lanka and also in Kiul-Gaya section of #ECRailway. In both the tenders Mr Sharma has made huge money by undue favour to contractor. In Kiul-Gaya section Electronic Interlocking work contract was closed after receiving full supply and without complete execution of work. Such favour to contractor is matter of serious investigation.

In present tender followings are noted:

  1. As per above #Tender-Notice this tender is to go through the process of “National Competitive Bidding”. That means only Indian National bidders are permitted to bid. Placement of registration of firm/company is mentioned anywhere in India. Joint venture for such big volume of tender is not Permitted. Further ‘Make In India’ policy and product is mentioned NOT APPLICABLE. This is despite of the fact that this project is being fully funded by Indian Government.
  2. In the Essential qualifying criteria, Similar work means-

(i) Supply, Installation… Commissioning of EI/Relay based Railway Signalling system IN THE FOREIGN COUNTRY.
(ii) Supply, Installation… Commissioning of OFC based Railway Telecommunication System IN THE FOREIGN COUNTRY.

  1. The word “IN THE FOREIGN COUNTRY” has been quietly added for the 1st time in such tenders of IRCON to favour only 1 party i.e. Jaipur based firm since they have previously executed such work in SHRI LANKA.
  2. In the similar #tenders of #Nepal and #Bangladesh NO such condition was imposed that the bidder should have executed the work in the foreign country.

(iii) One such example is IRCON’s tender no. IRCON/2050/BGL.JBB/S&T/TENDER/06 dated 18.11.2016 of NEPAL where in Essential qualifying criteria, meaning of similar work was defined – “Works are considered similar if executed work involves Design, Supply, Installation, Testing, Commissioning of complete Indoor & Outdoor (SSI/EI/RRI/PI) S&T work”. Nowhere it is mentioned that bidder should have executed the work “IN THE FOREIGN COUNTRY”.

  1. Therefore, such restrictions in the “Similar work means – Supply, Installation, Testing & Commissioning of EI/Relay based Railway Signalling System in the foreign country” will eliminate competition and cause huge loss to Public exchequer.
     
  2. Joint venture is to be permitted as per Indian Railway’s GCC.

Since the contract is being executed with full funding extended by Indian Government to Shri Lanka Government, tender condition should be such that all the Indian S&T tenderers, who have experience of similar work in India, should qualify to maintain healthy business competition.

Demand of the Indian bidders: #IRCON International must promote Indian contractors instead “essential eligibility criteria” is designed to promote only one bidder which is purely against the policy of Central Vigilance Commission (#CVC) and Competition Commission of India (#CCI).

“IRCON: Is a particular firm being favored by putting special conditions in the tender?”