Thorough check on bidding prices urged

Thorough check on bidding prices urged

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto ordered yesterday that the
government's procurement team thoroughly check prices offered by
bidders of foreign-financed projects, worth more than Rp 5
billion (US$2.2 million).

Rahardi Ramelan, deputy chairman of the National Planning
Board, and a member of the procurement team, said after a meeting
with the President yesterday that his team has checked the prices
of goods overseas.

"But the checks need to be intensified, especially because the
prices of several goods have declined substantially," Rahardi
said. He was accompanied by Minister of National Development
Planning/Chairman of the National Development Planning Board
(Bappenas) Ginandjar Kartasasmita.

Citing an example, he said that the price of a diesel power
generating plant overseas has declined by 20 percent.

He said the President also instructed the team to give full
attention to the technical specifications offered by bidders of
government projects.

He said that between Feb. 8 and early this month the team had
received tender proposals for 235 projects, valued at Rp 9.6
trillion.

"The team has approved tender requests for 183 projects worth
Rp 7.2 trillion but rejected 32 other proposals for Rp 1.3
trillion worth of projects because there are simply no funds for
those projects," Rahardi said, giving no further details on other
tender proposals. (04)