Request for clarification on bidding for Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh expressway

The Government Office has just sent a document to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Construction and the People's Committee of Dong Nai province, conveying the direction of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on inspecting the bidding work for the construction package of the Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh Expressway Project, the section passing through the area now belonging to Dong Nai province.

Accordingly, the Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Finance to seriously learn from experience when reporting progress 9 days later than required (June 10, instead of June 19).

Not only was it delayed, the report's content was also assessed as lacking in depth, failing to properly demonstrate the role of the state management agency on bidding, and failing to fully implement the provisions of Circular 23/2024/TT-BKHĐT on inspection of contractor selection activities.

Notably, the report did not specifically analyze the inspection results and lacked clear recommendations for the inspected unit as well as competent authorities.

Perspective of the Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh expressway project

The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out: The Ministry of Finance has not fulfilled its responsibility by only checking the bidding certificates of the expert team without fully assessing the capacity and experience of the members according to regulations. It is inappropriate to "pass on" responsibility to the Project Management Board.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Finance to urgently complete the report, coordinate with the Ministry of Construction and the People's Committee of Dong Nai province, and send it to the Prime Minister before July 5.

The report must include a detailed assessment of the legality and technicality of the electronic bidding documents (E-HSMT), bidding documents (E-HSDT), methods of evaluating construction equipment, contractor capacity and experience as well as the capacity of the expert team.

In particular, it is necessary to clearly analyze the consistency (or lack of consistency) between detailed and summary assessment reports, the impact of not clarifying bidding documents as prescribed in Article 28 of Decree 24/2024/ND-CP, as well as possible consequences.

Regarding the results of contractor selection, the Deputy Prime Minister requested clear comments: has the appraisal and approval process ensured transparency, objectivity, and economic efficiency? Does the winning contractor really meet the requirements of capacity, experience, technical solutions, and construction progress?

In addition, the report should propose specific solutions, such as: whether to continue signing the contract with the selected contractor or not, or to request the inviting party and the expert team to complete the documents? If violations are detected, necessary measures can be recommended according to authority.

The request for an inspection was made after Son Hai Group sent a document protesting the results of the contractor selection for this project. In a document sent to the People's Committee of Binh Phuoc Province (now Dong Nai Province) and relevant authorities, Son Hai Group said that during the online public bidding session on March 17, they offered the lowest bid price - 732.2 billion VND for the package worth 880.7 billion VND, a difference of nearly 150 billion VND. In addition, the unit committed to a 10-year warranty for the project, surpassing its competitors.

Meanwhile, the remaining contractors had bid prices ranging from 800.6 to 866.4 billion VND. Notably, the consortium with the highest bid price was selected to win the bid. Son Hai Group said that this was an unusual sign, potentially causing budget waste and affecting the company's reputation. The group proposed to review the entire bidding process.

However, on June 26, the People's Committee of Binh Phuoc province (now Dong Nai province) responded in writing, affirming that the process of evaluating bidding documents, selecting contractors and handling Son Hai Group's petitions were all carried out in accordance with legal regulations. The reasons for disqualifying this group are clearly cited from the technical criteria stated in E-HSMT and are in accordance with the current Law on Bidding. The petitions of this enterprise are considered "inappropriate".

However, in response to the reflection and doubts of businesses as well as the large difference in bidding prices, the Deputy Prime Minister directed the establishment of an inter-ministerial working group (Finance - Construction) to re-examine the entire contractor selection process; requiring transparency, objectivity and effective use of the state budget in large-scale public investment projects such as the Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh expressway.

THANH HOA

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/yeu-cau-lam-ro-dau-thau-duong-cao-toc-tphcm-thu-dau-mot-chon-thanh-post802142.html