HCMC – Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has ordered a task force be set up to review the contractor selection process for the HCMC-Thu Dau Mot-Chon Thanh expressway project after concerns were raised over the controversial bidding outcome.
The Government Office has released a statement relaying Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha’s directive on the review of the contractor selection for the Binh Phuoc section of the HCMC-Thu Dau Mot-Chon Thanh expressway project, said local media reports.
He instructed the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction to jointly set up an inter-agency task force to look into the contractor selection process to determine whether it is fair, transparent and efficient.
The Binh Phuoc People’s Committee has been required to closely coordinate with the two ministries and provide all necessary documents and information for the inspection. The task force must complete its review and report to the Prime Minister by June 10.
The move comes after Son Hai Group filed a complaint over the bidding results announced by the Binh Phuoc Province Project Management Board.
Although the company offered the lowest bid at VND732.2 billion, nearly VND150 billion below the package’s reserve price of VND881 billion, it was not selected.
The construction package for the section passing through Binh Phuoc spans seven kilometers, with a total investment of nearly VND1.5 trillion. The package was tendered through an open domestic online bidding process, attracting five bidders.
The HCMC-Thu Dau Mot-Chon Thanh Expressway Consortium, comprising Truong Son Construction Corporation and Thanh Phat Company, won the bid with an offer of VND845.4 billion, achieving a cost saving of 1.62%.
Meanwhile, other bidders, including Cienco4 with a bid of VND800.6 billion and two other consortiums offering VND836 billion and VND854 billion, were disqualified.
According to the expert panel from Van Phu Consulting, which prepared the bidding documents and conducted the evaluation, the disqualifications were due to bidders failing to meet requirements for construction materials, equipment, and the implementation of Building Information Modeling (BIM), among others.
Following Son Hai Group’s petition, the Binh Phuoc People’s Committee assigned relevant departments and agencies to review the case and respond in accordance with regulations.
