According to documents sourced by Nyasa Times, the bidding for
printing of Presidential and Parliamentary Ballot papers attracted
eight companies namely: TALL Security, Hisco/Oriental, LGS, Universal
Printing Group of South Africa, Kalamazoo Ltd of United Kingdom, Smith
and Ouzman Ltd of United Kingdom, Indra of India and Madras Security
Printers of India.
Four companies were eliminated in round one of the evaluation having
scored as follows: 48% for TALL Security, 46% for Hisco/Oriental, 38%
for LGS and 59% for Indra.
The tender evaluation committee had six evaluators only named as
Edward, Phillip, Bertha, Alwin, Phillip and Duncan who unanimously
scored Smith and Ouzman Ltd at 90%, followed by Kalamazoo at 87%,
Universal Print Group at 79% and Madras Security Printer at 79%.
In round two of evaluation, Universal Print Group was eliminated for
their alleged involvement with the State President Bingu wa Mutharika’s
daughter in the Malawi National Examinations Board exam leakage despite
being cleared by a Presidential Commission that investigated the
leakage.
They are also a subject of a legal challenge involving the Kenya
Electoral Commission which saw President Mwai Kibaki returning to power
through rigged ballot papers.
Madras Security Printer was eliminated for lack of experience in
printing ballot papers in African elections despite having the
experience of doing the same in India.
A cost evaluation to print 7,000,000 presidential ballot papers and
7,000,000 Parliamentary Ballot Papers saw Universal Printer Group
coming out the cheapest at US$791,000; Madras Security quoted
US$889,000, followed by Smith and Ouzman at US$1,084,000.
The most expensive bid came from Kalamazoo at US$2,961,000.
The final recommendation in the evaluation report recommended Smith and
Ouzman to be awarded the contract having submitted a tender that was
not just superior technically but offered cost savings in prices.
The company has scored well in the technical ranking of the
evaluation. It was ranked the first with a total of 90% of the
technical score which represents 63 points out of a possible 70 points.
The company has come out as a strongest technical bidders for the
Printing of the Ballot papers for the Parliamentary and Presidential
Elections for the 2009, reads a report on recommendations for
contract award based on technical and financial evaluation results.
Award of contract Based on the technical and financial evaluation and
the analysis [above], it is recommended to award the contract for the
printing of both presidential and parliamentary elections ballot papers
to Smith & Ouzman Ltd, said the recommendations.
However, MEC is now opting for Kalamazoo Ltd following a business link
with a Malawian entrepreneur who is connected to the President.
Nyasa Times investigation revealed that political pressure on
the Commission to award Kalamazoo Ltd the contract cost the job of its
Procurement Chief, Edward Jeke for his committee going against the
orders to purchase the printing services from Kalamazoo Ltd who are
going to cost the taxpayer almost three times higher than the second
placed company.
"Mr. Jeke was suspended and later on dismissed for going against the
Presidential orders to have the ballot papers printed by Kalamazoo who
had used a number of intermediaries to land the contract. No one
understood why they had overpriced the contract like that," said an
source at MEC.
Mulli Brothers through a Malawian living in the United Kingdom (name
withheld) has been named to to have a link in Kalamazoo Ltd.
But the recommendations said on Kalamazoo: The company has come out as
the second best technically qualified bidder. However the Prices quoted
do not reflect any market values. They could have been a contender for
the award of the contract had it not been for the astronomically high
prices which do not reflect market values.
Meanwhile the UNDP who are co-funders of the election, are reportedly
to have refused to pay any of the donor money to Kalamazoo if MEC
obliges to political pressure and awards the contract to the company.
"UNDP is saying why pay three times for the same services which another
credible company who has been involved in this process before is
offering at a reasonable price," added the source.
An official from Smith and Ouzman could not be drawn into commenting on
the matter when Nyasa Times asked on whether MEC has awarded them the
contract.
"It is our company policy not to comment on any contracts or tenders we
are bidding on. I cannot give you any information at the moment," said
Company Director Nick Smith.
A Kalamazoo official who did not give her name denied having been awarded the contract and referred Nyasa Times to Mr. John Hatton for further details but when contacted via phone and email, he did not respond.
Opposition parties cried foul that MEC procurement of the printing of
ballots services was shrouded in secrecy casting doubts over the
credibility of the whole electoral process.
Nyasa Times
Post published in: News