IPE Global to be consultants for Smart City

The Smart City Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) has decided to select IPE Global Ltd. as the management consultancy of the city Corporation’s Smart City project.

Though the company had come second in the bidding stage, it was decided to drop Wadia Engineering Services Ltd., which quoted the lowest amount, as it was found to have been blacklisted by the Assam government in December 2017 on allegations of forgery in a project to connect the river island Majuli with Jorhat and Lakhimpur through a bridge.

High marks

Wadia Engineering had scored the highest marks in the technical bid stage and had quoted the lowest amount in the financial bid stage, which made it a clear contender, above the other two companies. Wadia Engineering quoted a figure of ₹27.16 crore, while IPE Global quoted ₹27.77 crore and Mahindra ₹27.96 crore.

The Smart City officials came to know of the company’s blacklisting only after the bids were opened in February. Over the past two months, they had conducted a hearing with officials of Wadia Engineering and also sought the opinion of the Law Department on how to proceed with the consultancy selection.

“In the hearing, they admitted to their company being blacklisted. The reason they gave for hiding the fact from us was not convincing. Apparently, there was no one in their office during those few days after the blacklisting, and before the opening of our bids, to inform us. Legally, we are on sound footing,” said a Corporation official.

New Delhi-based IPE Global Ltd. is also the management consultant for the Kochi Smart City project. The Corporation will execute an agreement with the selected consultant, following which the preparation of the Detailed Project Report for each of the projects will begin. The agency will also be entrusted with project management and supervision of the projects.