A laundry detergent powder supplier has written a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte complaining what he described as unfair treatment given to them by a member of the Procurement Service-Bids and Awards Committee.
In his letter received by the Office of the President last Monday (Oct. 14), Ishmael Vega of VRV Advertising Company said the firm he represented recently joined a bidding for the procurement of a detergent powder for the government.
“I would like to file a concern and express my absolute disappointment in your office because of what happened during the lab testing of our detergent product,” said Vega.
He said they received a notice from the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement services, asking them to submit documents and sample of their products, which they immediately complied.
But despite all the requirements they have submitted to the committee, Vega said the products that they brought were not even opened, and instead they felt insulted the way they were treated during the bidding process.
“I arrived in your office at around 9:37 am for the scheduled 10:00 am testing of the detergent that we submitted as our sample. I was the first one to sign up the attendance sheet and was then escorted to the testing area. The technical working group brought out the detergent samples that we submitted for the bid and weighed these samples. Our sample even exceeded the 1/kg plastic pouch requirement,” said Vega in his letter to Mr. Duterte.
The letter also stated that a BAC officer told Vega he will not be allowed to go through the lab testing.
“After being told of the situation and as I was to leave the room, I saw the other bidder enter the testing room at around 10:30 am. From what I know, the samples for both bidders should be processed and be tested at the same time. This process was not followed and might have been even bent to the favor of the other bidder,” stated Vega.
As a result, Vega said the committee declared them as the ‘second to the lowest bidder’ and told them it had already awarded the project to another bidder.
“The complaint is for your Honorable Office to know that the personnel assigned for this stage of the bid did not give me a fair and just process. I am hoping this could be resolved immediately. Thank you,” Vega’s letter stated.