National Aids Commission (NAC) has come under scrutiny over a security services contract awarded to a company that did not emerge a successful bidder and for bypassing the evaluation team’s recommendations.
The team evaluated 24 bids and recommended Mwachi Guard Services, but NAC has since offered the contract to Jibs Security Services.
Based on a recommendation from the NAC evaluation team, which met for three days in June this year, at least 25 companies applied for the services.
because of malice
The second evaluation round trimmed the companies to 13 out of which only two made it to the final list, according to correspondence on the contracts we have seen.
The documents show that the two companies that made it to the evaluation finals were GardaWorld, whose bid was K81.7 million and Mwachi Guard Services at K74.7 million.
The committee, led by assistant administration officer Taona Phiri, recommended Mwachi Guard Services to be awarded the contract, based on the June 14 report.
Reads the committee’s recommendation: “Based on this assessment, the evaluation team found that the offer from Mwachi Guard Services is compliant with the bidding requirements and is recommended for the award of the contract for the provision of security services for a period of 12 months for emerging the lowest evaluated bidder at a total contract price of K74 659 500 subject to IPDC consideration and approval.
“The evaluation team further checked the estimated budget of K73 915 200 for this procurement against the proposed contract price of K74 659 500 and noted that the procurement subject has a shortfall of K744 300 and the user who was present confirmed that funds are available and that the budget for this activity will be reviewed during the mid-year review in or about September, 2024.”
However, on July 22, NAC chief executive officer Beatrice Matanje and Jibs Security Services managing director Innocent Chikoko signed a contract worth K64 million.
When contacted yesterday, Chikoko refused to comment, saying NAC officials were better-placed to speak on the deal.
On the other hand, Matanje said the evaluation team is an adhoc committee and that the Internal Procurement and Disposal of Assets Committee found errors in its assessment.
“Instead of just changing, I asked them to discuss with the evaluation team and they went through the documents, found where the error was and made a decision to offer the contract to a different company,” she said.
Matanje refused to comment further, saying discussions on NAC procurement are an internal matter and that she can only talk about them publicly if called by the courts.
“This information is out because of malice,” she said, adding that officials from Mwachi Guard Services through their lawyer have written NAC on the matter.
Mwachi Guard Services boss Medson Kalambule confirmed engaging lawyers who wrote NAC, but said he was yet to be appraised on the outcome.
NAC was re-established in October 2018 as an independent State institution by the HIV and Aids Act.
