NGV Bus Bid Draws Little Interest From Private Sector

 

 

BANGKOK : -- The bus procurement scheme of Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) for the first lot of 489 NGV-fuelled buses through bidding drew little interest from bidders with only two bus firms submitting their documents yesterday. 

 

BMTA required a total of 21 interested bidders who earlier bought bidding documents to return them  by yesterday deadline.

As the deadline ended yesterday only two submitted the documents with proposals to sell the first lot of 489 buses to BMTA.

BMTA acting director Mrs Pranee Sukrasorn said although the bus bid drew only two firms, the bidding process would continue.

She said BMTA would check documents of the two bidders to see their qualifications and inform them before March 16.

Qualified bidders will enter the electronic bidding set on March 23, she said.

Citing the urgency of the bus procurement project, Mrs Pranee said in case of only one bidder being qualified to enter the final bid, it will be accepted a winner but the BMTA will negotiate the lowest price with it.

The BMTA will award the buys contract with the winner end of March and delivery of  the new fleet of NGV fueled buses will begin from April till June.

For the rest 2,694 buses to be procured, she said the BMTA had to make sure it has completed its efficiency improvement and bus route management schemes to submit to the State Enterprises Policy Committee for consideration first, she added.

Earlier the BMTA mandated all bidders to sign memorandum of understanding before entering the bidding. 

The agreement stipulates that they must have merits and virtues in making business with the BMTA.