Major Dominican vehicle dealerships secured changes to a recent government tender for the procurement of 100 garbage compacting trucks. The tender was valued at around RD$760 million. El Nacional has been covering the tender for its readers.
In response to the protests from vehicle dealerships, the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency (MAPFRE) announced on 7 April 2026 that it revised the tender for the purchase of garbage trucks.
The Ministry issued a statement clarifying that it has “left without effect” the original terms of the bidding process (Tender MAPRE-CCC-SI-2026-0001) following the complaints regarding restrictive conditions and restrictive delivery deadlines.
The protesting suppliers alleged that the original bidding process, organized by the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency, was rigged to favor a single pre-selected supplier through “restrictive and discriminatory” requirements.
The protesting coalition includes prominent firms Viamar, Bonanza Dominicana, Peravia Motors, Equimax, Importadora Cordero, and MTE GROUP. They called Administrative Minister of the Presidency Andrés Bautista to suspend tender CCC-SI-0001 and revise the technical specifications to ensure transparency and fair competition.
The Administrative Minister of the Presidency responded making changes to the tender:
The purchase has been scaled back from 100 to 50 garbage compacting trucks. The immediate delivery requirement has been replaced. The winning bidder now will have 45 calendar days for the first delivery. Counting from the date of adjudication to the formal delivery, the Ministry estimates a total window of 113 days, providing a more realistic timeframe for importers.
The Ministry stated that these adjustments were made in coordination with the General Procurement Agency (DGCP) to ensure transparency and free competition.
The dealerships claimed the procurement request included “extreme” conditions virtually impossible for any standard supplier to meet without prior notification. Central to their complaint was the requirement for the immediate delivery of 70 compacting trucks, complete with license plates and ready for operation, with the remaining 30 units to be delivered within just five days.
Industry representatives point out that maintaining an inventory of 70 specialized heavy-duty vehicles with active registration is not standard practice, suggesting the terms were written to accommodate a vendor who already has the stock prepared.
Beyond delivery timelines, the dealerships had challenged specific technical mandates that they believe unnecessarily narrow the field of eligible participants. The group has suggested several modifications to the bidding document to allow for broader participation:
• Fuel capacity: Expanding the requirement to include 160-liter tanks rather than the strictly mandated 170+ liters.
• Transmission: Standardizing requirements to an 8-speed plus reverse configuration.
• Compaction systems: Shifting from manual to electronic compaction systems.
• Capacity: Adjusting the required volume from a 10–12 range to a 10–13 range to improve discharge frequency.
• Chassis Dimensions: Revising specific length and size restrictions that currently disqualify several major manufacturers.
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El Nacional
El Nacional
El Nacional
8 April 2026