DOTr: No company was favored in search of LTO plastic cards supplier

Allcard was disqualified due to 'bad perfomance'

Yesterday, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), together with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), announced that the crisis surrounding the supply of driver’s license cards will be over in the next few months, as they have already selected Banner Card, Inc., to supply the 5.2-million card backlog.

However, some sources claim that DOTr favored Banner because Allcard, Inc., was supposedly the lowest bidder. The DOTr maintains that they have not favored anyone and that the bidding and procurement process were all done under the law.

Responding to these insinuations, DOTr Usec. De Leon said the procurement process followed the law as specified in the Republic Act 9184 or the Procurement Law.

“The procurement process followed the rules as stipulated in Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as Procurement Law,” Usec. De Leon explained during a media briefing.

“We did not favor anyone. We followed what’s stated in the law and [Allcard’s] post-disqualification is within the parameters of the law,” added De Leon.

The transport official further explained that the bidding not only requires the financial capabilities of the bidder but the provision of the specified needs under the contract’s terms of reference as well.

“We’re not only looking at the financial bid but also the capability of the supplier to deliver within the definition of the terms, this is the reason why Allcard was disqualified,” said De Leon.

Banner Plasticard, Inc. has bagged the contract and was issued a Notice to Proceed with the delivery of up to 1 million driver’s license plastic cards within the next 60 days as part of its first delivery.

Usec. De Leon explained that the DOTr also took into consideration feedback from various government agencies and private companies on the performance of the bidders in terms of the fulfillment of their contractual obligations. Allcard had previous or existing contracts with Philhealth and other government agencies, as well as companies in the private sector.