The Water & Sewerage Company Inc. (WASCO) early in 2015 had completed the first phase, i.e., The Study, for the John Compton Dam de-Silting and Rehabilitation project. After which, request for proposals (RFP) had been sought from two (2) prequalified firms to undertake the second phase of the project, i.e., The Works. In November 2015 WASCO sought a pre-bid meeting with the pre-qualified firms and the deadline for the submission of proposals from them, was December 2015. This process reached the negotiations stage but failed as the bidder was unwilling to meaningfully negotiate. The process was subsequently terminated and a new process ensued thereafter.
The Senior Manager Operations, Aly Anthony noted, “the John Compton Dam rehabilitation project is essentially a dredging and disposal project including a Catchment Rehabilitation component to reduce on the impact of landslides and other mass earth movements in the reservoir.”
The project, funded by Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) with financial assistance from the European Investment Bank and the Inter American Development Bank is being undertaken by Water & Sewerage Company Inc. (WASCO), and is set up to ensure accountability and transparency where the CDB is involved in every significant stage of the project and has to give its ‘No objection’ before WASCO can move to another stage. The Central Tenders Board too also has to provide its ‘No Objection’.
The selected evaluation committee consists of WASCO in-house staff, members of the Board of Directors and at least one suitable person from another government agency. The CDB and the CTB has to first approve the evaluation committee
The typical procurement process used was as follows: