Chandima Weerakkody's Yahapalanaya at CPC

(Lanka-e-News -03.Mar.2016, 11.30PM) On January 19th 2016 the CPC opened the 3 term supply tenders for the supply of diesel, gasoline and jet fuel. Suppliers who have registered with the CPC were all eligible to participate. The CPC received a number almost 50 different offers which were given to the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) for their recomendations. These recommendations were then passed to the Cabinet appointed procurement and negotiation committee  who confirmed the TEC’s findings that the Lowest Bidder who met all the tender terms and conditions:

 Diesel and gasoline -  Swiss Singapore

 Jetfuel and diesel - Petrochina Singapore

 Motor gasoline - Petrochina Singapore

It is at this stage that Yahapalanaya was Put To The Test..!

Al Masafi General Trading (http://www.al-masafi.com) was registerered as a supplier to CPC just a few months ago under suspect circumstances. Usuallly registration the supplier to prove its experience as petroleum suppliers; however in this case the CPC ‘ignored’ this requirement. A visit to Al Mafasi’s website where they boldly claim “Al-Masafi International Group has become a global leader for construction development” brings attention to why CPC has registered a construction company as a petroleum supplier. Furthermore the Al Mafasi website shows a wide range of pumps, valves, fans ect along with contact details for a mining company in Sierra Leone and a ‘sports corner’ discussing cricket. 

This is the company who will supply sri lanka with its entire petroleum requirement?!

Al Masafi General Trading did not directly bid for the above mentioned term tenders. However the CPC did get offers from Al Masafi International .These offers were not in agreement to the CPC tender terms, it did not even come with a valid bid bond. A bid bond is a debt secured by a bidder for a tender for the purpose of providing a guarantee to the CPC that the bidder will take on the job if selected. Without a bid bond CPC and the people of sri lanka have no way of knowing if Al Mafasi will deliver on its product to supply our nation with fuel. Not only that – Al Mafasi General Trading was the party registered with CPC but the offers came from Al Mafasi International?!? This entity has not registered at CPC so cannot be bidding in the first place.

Despite all of these obvious disqualifications the higher ups and CPC and Ministry of Petroleum have ignored the technical evaluation committee reccomentdations, ignore the cabinet appointed tender committee rulings and instead of submitting an unsolicited proposal to cabinet . Sounds like the good old days are back..!! Former deputy speaker Chandima Weerakkody is the Minister of petroleum in this govt.

The CPC has approximately 50 registered suppliers who are waiting to see if Al Mafasi’s non-compliant bid can be politicaly pushed into a winning offer to CPC. Our nation is looking at a position where our nations supply of petorluem will be a Dubai based construction company who specializes in pumps/valves and who has NEVER SUPPLIED A SINGLE SHIPMENT OF PETROLEUM TO SRI LANKA. The energy security of our country lies in the balance .If the CPC and Cabinet of Ministers allow this non-compliant bidder they will effectively make a mockery of the national tender procedure.

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by     (2016-03-03 22:48:30)