Only local bids for State construction jobs below Rs 600M

By Paneetha Ameresekere 

All State construction jobs below the value of Rs 600 million have been mandated to be awarded to local contractors registered with the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA).

Treasury Secretary S. R. Attygalle, in a circular numbered 03/2020 (i) and dated  Monday (11 January, 2021) but published on the Finance Ministry website only on Friday (15) has directed all State institutional heads, ministry secretaries,  State ministry secretaries, provincial council secretaries and similar such Government heads to follow the aforesaid guidelines when evaluating bids.

He had further said that if in the event State-owned construction agencies submit bids for such construction works, they should be given a five per cent allowance over other bids in the bids commercial evaluation process. Such conditions are not applicable in the technical evaluation process, the Treasury Secretary said.

Attygalle had further said that in the event bids submitted were lower by between 11 and 19 per cent over the engineers’ estimates, the value of the bid bonds submitted in this regard will have to be uplifted by five per cent over and above the specified amount.

And, in the event such bids were lower by 20 to 29 per cent over the engineers’ estimates then the value of the required bid bond to be submitted with the tender should be uplifted by 10 per cent. Attygalle had also directed that if in the event such bids submitted were 30 per cent or more, less than the engineers’ estimates, then such bids should be rejected.