(Eagle News)– President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday reiterated his dislike for the lowest-bid policy in the procurement of government projects.
According to Duterte, “henceforth, all projects of the Philippines would be something like a ‘Swiss challenge.”
Unlike the lowest-bid policy that sees a contract usually awarded to the one who offered the lowest bid, a Swiss challenge sees other parties challenging the proposal of an original proponent.
The original proponent then offers an improved bid.
According to the President, a Swiss challenge was acceptable to those who were honest in government service.
It would also stop syndicates from preying on government contracts and from getting them only because they offered the lowest bid.
“That syndicate, they just wait and go their lowest. The true blue contractors are in good faith,” he said.
According to the President, contractors were only given a month of delay in projects.
Otherwise, he said the project would be awarded to another group.
The President said those who completed the project properly and without any corruption would be given prompt payment or within 15 days upon completion of the project.
“You just tell me. If somebody asks you (for money), tell me, I’ll get the papers for you. I will tell the department secretary or the bureau director, ‘Give the papers to me. I will release it,’” Duterte said.