In continuation of the process of awarding contracts to eligible contractors handling the 2022, 2023 and 2024 UBEC/SUBEB Matching Grants Intervention Projects in Anambra State basic schools, the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB, Awka has officially opened the financial bid at the Utility Hall, ASUBEB headquarters Awka.
To ensure that due process was followed with utmost transparency, representatives of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Board Members of ASUBEB, Civil Society Organisations, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the State Bureau of Public Procurement Commission, the Attorney General and Accountant General of Anambra State, the contractors and the media were on ground to monitor the exercise.
In her speech, the Executive Chairman, ASUBEB, Awka Dr. Vera Nkiru Nwadinobi stated that the financial bid opening was the second most important process in awarding contracts to eligible contractors following the technical evaluation of the bids submitted by over a thousand companies.
Dr. Nwadinobi noted that the exercise was in compliance with the requirements for contracts solicitations stipulated by the Public Procurement Act and law 2007.
“Technical bids are to be opened first and only those firms which fulfilled the technical terms and conditions were eligible for participation in the financial bid opening while financial bids of firms which did not qualify in the technical bids would be returned un-opened”, she explained.
While appreciating the State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR for his magnanimity in defraying the backlog of counterpart funds for the interventions in the basic schools, she congratulated the contractors who qualified for the second phase for successfully proposing solutions to the needs of the Junior Secondary and Primary Schools in the State.
She emphasized that nobody has won the contract yet, noting that it is only after the evaluation of the cost analysis of their proposals that the best bidders would emerge.
“The best offer is referred to as the most responsive evaluated bid, which indicated compliance without material deviation from the requirements of the solicitation and the terms and conditions of the proposed contract”, Dr. Nwadinobi declared.
Continuing, the ASUBEB boss assured of prudence in selecting the best offers and warned that any contractor who is properly mobilized to site and later abandons the project for no justifiable reason will face the full wrath of the law for funds recovery and thereafter be blacklisted by the Board.
Earlier in an opening remark, the Head of the Procurement Unit, Mr Echezona Chinedu congratulated the contractors who have gotten to the second stage, charging those who would eventually win the bids to ensure that they work according to specifications by using standard materials to deliver quality jobs.
In a brief remark, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba represented by the State Coordinator, UBEC, Mr. Kingsley Nlewedim commended the ASUBEB Chairman, Dr. Nwadinobi for the due process being followed in the bidding exercise and urged the contractors to remain responsive and responsible in the execution of the projects.
Contributing, the Board Secretary, ASUBEB, Hon. Loveline Mgbemena thanked Mr. Governor for keeping his promise of providing a conducive learning environment for learners in Anambra State and reminded the contractors that no shoddy jobs would be accepted.
Reacting, some of the contractors, including the MD, SEK Educational Research System Ltd, Mr. Sammie Agbo, and the MD, Best Alfa Global Services Ltd, Hon. Elochukwu Okonkwo expressed confidence with the process, promising to deliver promptly according to specifications if their companies were shortlisted.
The event featured the opening and announcing of each of the financial bids that met the requirements of the technical terms and conditions.
