THE GOVERNMENT has invited bidders to participate in an auction for the contract to supply buses to the P73.93-billion Davao City bus system project.
The Transportation department said the government is seeking suppliers of diesel and electric buses for the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded project.
The auction is “open to bidders from eligible source countries of ADB,” the department said in its bid invitation.
“Bidders may bid for a single contract only or for both contracts (diesel and electric buses),” it added.
Bids should be delivered to the Transportation department’s procuring agent, the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management in Manila on or before May 12.
A pre-bid conference is scheduled for April 8.
The department noted that bidders seeking both diesel and electric contracts must submit separate bids rather than a single combined bid.
According to the department, it will evaluate and compare bids on the basis of each contract separately or multiple contracts combined in order to arrive at the least-cost combinations.
It said the discounts offered by bidders for the award of multiple contracts will be taken into account.
“Any discounts offered by bidders submitting bids for multiple contracts and the methodology for the application of any discount shall be stated in the Letter of Bid included in its bids for each contract.”
The department recently sought bidders for the project’s three contract packages that cover the construction of Buhangin Depot, Calinan Depot, and Calinan Driving School.
The second contract is for the Toril Depot and Terminal, Bunawan Terminal, and Calinan Terminal, while the third contract covers the civil works along bus routes, including bus stops, bus lanes, and other pedestrian improvement works.
The bus system will have 29 routes with a total route network of 672 kilometers, operating over 580 kilometers of road traversing the entirety of Davao City.
The project is expected to commence operations in August 2023.
Former Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope O. Libiran told BusinessWorld in December that the civil works component will cost P19.71 billion, while the bus fleet, both diesel and electric, will cost P21.17 billion. — Arjay L. Balinbin
