According to CVC guidelines, a tender notice cannot specify a single brand, and may at the most include a list of preferred makes. (Source: flickr/Image for representational purposes)
Ignoring guidelines, the UT engineering wing in its tender notice for the renovation of VIP suites in the Sector 6 UT guesthouse has specified that bathroom fittings be of particular make. According to CVC guidelines, a tender notice cannot specify a single brand, and may at the most include a list of preferred makes. The tender specified the brand for bathroom showers, soap dish, hand showers, towel rack and other sanitary ware. The engineering wing also specified the model and code number for the brand against each work.
Secretary (hospitality) K K Jindal said that they never asked the engineering wing to have items of just one brand. “I don’t know how they have mentioned only Jaquar. I checked with director (hospitality) as well and he too clarified that nobody asked for any specific brand,” he said.
A senior engineering official on condition of anonymity said, “Minimum three companies have to be specified or word equivalent be mentioned while sending such a notice. With this, the company whose make has been specified would never lower its rates knowing that it is just their brand which has been asked for.”
Some of the specifications mentioned in the tender notice are: soap dish of Jaquar make model no ACN1131N, a glass shelf with bracket make Jaquar model no ACN 1173, hand shower round shaped no SHA 555, soap dispenser with glass bottle make Jaquar Kubix prime model AKP35735P. Chief Engineer Mukesh Anand did not respond to calls and messages.
The UT Administration’s tender for the renovation of 12 VIP suites at the UT guesthouse includes five VIP suites — 101, 102, 103, 114 and 115 — on the first floor at a cost of Rs 67,37,804; and three suites on the second floor — 201, 202 and 203 — at a cost of Rs 40,44,708.
The total estimate for eight suites would be Rs 1,07,82,512. The tender notice for these suites was published five days after it was posted on the website. The day it was published was the last date for filing applications. Four other VIP suites, notice of which was posted on the website only, are being renovated at a cost of Rs 53 lakh.
Conference at Raj Bhawan
The UT Administration has decided that the conference for which Prime Minister, President and Governors of 26 states would be coming will be organised at Raj Bhawan itself. “UT guesthouse will be used basically for stay and for small group discussions only,” a senior official said.