Bidders for the heavily-contested Curepe interchange project may get a second chance at the multi-million-dollar roadway construction as the National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco) is now reportedly eyeing other options after failing to persuade the second-ranked contractor to reduce its bid price.
The T&T Guardian was informed yesterday that Nidco may be forced to quash the entire tender process for the project because talks with Lutchmeesingh Transport Company (LTC) are faring no better than those with the first-ranked bidder, Vinci Construction, which also refused to drop its bid price.
Nidco is still in talks with LTC for some adjustment on the price and schedule of work but there has been no resolution to date and negotiators believe it will end in a stalemate, the T&T Guardian was told.
Lutchmeesingh Transport was second in the tender process and was among the three companies shortlisted for the interchange project. But with talks failing to find middle ground, the already protracted project will be further stalled if the contract cannot be awarded and the whole tender process is revisited.
Nidco president Dr Carson Charles yesterday confirmed talks with LTC were at a stalemate and Nidco now had two options. "At this stage there are two things that could happen: Either we proceed to the third-ranked bidder (GLF-Coosals) or the whole thing is quashed and we start over," Charles said. He noted that there was no set deadline date to begin the project or to complete negotiations with contractors.
Protracted Wrangling
LTC reportedly bid $313 million for the contract while Vinci, the number one choice in the tendering process, had reduced its initial $522 million price to $442 million after Nidco negotiated for a reduction.
Nidco entered into talks with LTC after Vinci refused to move under $442 million. Charles said yesterday the scrutiny of the project was not new but the interest in who eventually won the contract was surprising.
The T&T Guardian also tried to contact Parsad Lutchmeesingh, head of Lutchmeesingh Transport Contractors, but was told he was "out of the office" every time.
Public Scrutiny
The Curepe interchange project has been under public scrutiny recently after a letter, written by junior Minister of Works and Infrastructure Stacy Roopnarine to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, was leaked to the media.
In her e-mailed letter, Roopnarine detailed her concerns about ministerial interference in the board-level award of contacts and questioned her boss Dr Surujrattan Rambachan’s influence on board decisions.
Roopnarine has since withdrawn her concern, saying she was only made aware of the process of award and tender after her letter was sent.
Before Roopnarine's concerns however, MP for Diego Martin North East Colm Imbert had raised the matter in Parliament in May.
In a brief telephone interview yesterday, Imbert said he had "too much to say" about the whole matter and was out of the country.