For work worth Rs 2.70 cr, bidder should
have Rs 100 cr turnover
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 17: Authorities at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Kashmir have issued bizarre conditions in one of its Expression of Interest (EOI) calling for executing two different works from the contractors.
The EOI has been issued by the Estates Wing of the SKUAST for completion of Auditorium-cum-Multipurpose Hall on a Turnkey basis at Faculty of Agriculture, Wadura Sopore and completion of Auditorium-cum-Multipurpose Hall on a Turnkey basis at FVSc &AH Shuhama, Ganderbal.
Besides several other conditions, the EOI, a copy of which is lying with Excelsior, says the bidder must have executed at least one similar project costing not less than Rs 2.70 crore, or two similar projects costing not less than Rs 1.50 crore each in the last five financial years.
Serial number 7 of the Eligibility of Criteria list reads that the intending bidder should have a minimum average turnover of Rs 100 crore in the preceding five years while serial number 8 of the same list reads that the intending bidder should have a minimum net worth of Rs 100 crore.
The other conditions include that the bidder should have the ability to produce a solvency certificate from a scheduled commercial bank of not less than Rs 30 crore.
However, on March 10, the SKUAST authorities issued a corrigendum of the EOI vide ref no: Au/Estates/NIT/20/2563-70 changing the criteria from having a minimum average turnover of Rs 100 crore in the preceding five years and minimum net worth of Rs 100 crore to Rs 50 crore each. But while doing so, the date for submission of the EOI was not extended
The weird conditions put by the SKUAST authorities have puzzled the intending bidders, who term it as completely “out of mind.”
“I am hearing it for the first time that for executing a work worth Rs 2.70 crore, you need to have a net worth of Rs 100 crore. It is not only a joke but also a ploy by the SKUAST authorities to ensure that genuine bidders are not able to participate in the tendering process,” said one of the bidders, who wished anonymity.
“It seems, the SKUAST authorities have already decided whom to allot the work and just for the sake of formalities, the EOI is being called. Even after the corrigendum Rs 50 crore assets and turnover is a mismatch with the EOI. With such impossible conditions, no genuine bidder can participate in the tendering process,” he added.
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