The Passports Agency has announced that the intervention leading to the temporary suspension by the Procurement Agency of the electronic passport tender was requested by the institution itself to ensure that the process is carried out according to the highest standards of transparency and protection of public funds.
The tender had been organized when Digna Reynoso, wife of the president of the Chamber of Deputies, was the director of the Passports Agency. She was removed in June 2024, amidst major protests of irregularities and delays in the issuing of passports.
Lorenzo Ramírez, the new director of the Passports Agency, assured that, following the declaration of national interest issued by President Luis Abinader through Decree 438-22, the process has been managed in an open and participatory manner, despite being an exceptional procedure for national security.
Ramírez stated that when the procedure was published on the Procurement Agency contracting platform on 12 June 2024, the implemented monitoring system had not revealed any alerts indicating irregularities.
However, Ramirez says his office requested the intervention of the entity to verify compliance with the procedure required for this type of process.
He explained that of the 25 national and international companies that expressed interest in participating in the acquisition and implementation of the new biometric passport infrastructure, 11 submitted questions, seven requested a technical visit, and two submitted offers; an international consortium and another local company.
He maintained that all subsequent recommendations made by the regulatory body (DGCP) were taken into account, complying with the provisions and principles established in Public Procurement Law 340-06.
Christian Jimenez, writing in Listin Diario, was the first to break the news the tender for the design, supply, and issuance of electronic passports had been suspended due to findings that violate the principles of equality, participation, and free competition.
The article in the Listin had explained that the electronic passports contract had been classified as a “national security exception” when the tender was called. The procurement was for RD$6 billion and received expressions of interest from 25 national and international companies on 27 May 2024.
However, only two companies ultimately submitted bids, both of which were local companies and one of which had been involved in previous contracts with the Passport Agency. Notably, 23 companies with extensive experience from friendly nations withdrew their interest in the tender. As reported, the companies that did not submit their bids, despite expressing their interest in bidding and among these presented more than 250 questions on the technical specifications of the tender.
“Aspects were verified that indicate a violation of the principles established in Article 3 of Law No. 340-06 and its amendments, especially those of equality and free competition, and the participation of all potential bidders, as well as seeking the participation of the largest possible number of natural or legal persons with the required competence,” noted the DGCP.
As reported in the Listin Diario, the DGCP has weighed the information provided by the Passports Agency and has gathered data from the 20 interested parties that ultimately did not submit bids. The massive exclusion or withdrawal, after initially showing interest, has raised eyebrows.
The agency could cancel the tender and order a new one or allow it to continue under certain conditions.
The tender has involved alleged clashes of local and international economic interests and even sensitive geopolitical elements.
The operation of the Passports Office and the choice of supplier in past years has repeatedly been criticized. The introduction of the new electronic passports is long due. Dominicans with expired passports have experienced inconveniences because of the insistence of contracting with companies that have not satisfactorily delivered in the past.
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Diario Libre
El Dia
Listin Diario
Listin Diario
10 September 2024