By Own Correspondent| Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza has revealed that the awarding of the tender to a Spanish company Indra was above board and the deal had the blessings of the president’s office.
Matiza dismissed allegations that his ministry awarded the Spanish company the deal without going to tender.
Matiza said the Spanish firm approached his ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) to finance the procurement of Airspace Management Systems and Radar Surveillance Systems.
He said his ministry and the CAAZ board were granted authority to undertake direct negotiations with the company by the Office of the President and Cabinet as was provided for in the now repealed Procurement Act (Chapter 22:14) under PBR 11089 of 2 November 2017.
Said Matiza:
“Indra Sistemas of Spain through the Spanish Embassy in Harare presented a proposal to finance the project in 2017.
The Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe board then sought authority to undertake direct negotiations with the company and that authority was granted by the Office of the President and Cabinet as was provided for in the now repealed Procurement Act (Chapter 22:14) under PBR 11089 of 2 November 2017.
The office of the President and Cabinet reconfirmed its support for the project by its letter dated 22nd October 2018. Based on this approval the CAAZ negotiated a contract with Indra and is implementing the project with funding being provided by Afreximbank.”
Zimbabwe’s new Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act {Chapter 22:23} (the Public Procurement Act) came into effect on 1 January 2018. The new Act repealed the Procurement Act {Chapter 22:14}.
The Public Procurement Act regulates the procurement cycle from procurement planning, approaches to the market, evaluation and award of tenders, contract management and disposal of assets. Under the old Act, the State Procurement Board conducted procurement on behalf of procuring entities.
The 2018 legislation paves way for the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe which has an oversight role over public entities. In terms of the new legislation, public entities are responsible for their own procurement where the value of the construction works, consultancy and non-consultancy services are below a specified threshold.-StateMedia