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OPA clears way for landfill project
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Posted on May 19 1999
The Office of the Public Auditor has denied a appeal by an engineering firm which questioned an amendment to a request for proposal for the architectural design of the solid waste sanitary landfill in Marpi, paving the way for the start of the long-delayed project.
The SSFM (Saipan) Engineers, Inc. has sought the intervention of OPA after the Procurement and Supply Division threw out its protest against the agency’s decision to change the RFP.
The engineering firm, through its legal counsel Brien Sers Nicholas, said the amendment was null and void on ground that it violated the CNMI procurement regulations. It also alleged the arbitrary and capricious actions on the part of the P&S director and the secretary of the Department of Public Works.
In July last year the DPW has sought proposals for the design, preparation of construction documents and development of project cost estimate for the solid waste sanitary landfill.
Ten companies, including SSFM, submitted proposals for the design. An evaluation by a committee ranked the appellant number six. However, only the top five proposers will qualify for discussions with the committee.
OPA said in its decision that “SSFM’s request that the contract award in this procurement be withheld cannot be granted as P&S has already determined the need to proceed with the award,” as provided for in the procurement regulations.
