DPUE director defends dept’s decision on tender for procuring computers

Bengaluru: Director of the Department of Pre-University Education Sindhu B Rupesh on Wednesday defended the department’s decision to restrict participation of only companies in the tender process for supplying computers to state-run PU colleges.

On February 18, DH reported on the department’s decision not to allow partnership and proprietorship firms from participating in the tender to supply computers to PU colleges. 

In a statement released Sindhu said that the decision taken by the department was in keeping with the understanding that it was the ‘tender-inviting’ authority. 

“The department being the tender inviting authority has issued the tender specifications/conditions keeping in mind its requirements. The Honorable Supreme Court in Montecarlo Ltd versus National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (2016) (15 SCC 272) has observed that the tender inviting authority is the best person to understand and appreciate its requirements in the tender document. Therefore the department is justified in calling for bids only from Companies,” Sindhu claimed. 

The director even stated that aggrieved bidders could approach the competent authorities seeking redressal. “The department has not received information about bidders having grievances about the tender process,” Sindhu added.

DH published the report based on the documents accessed and allegations from eligible partnership and proprietorship firms as department refusing to allow them from participating in the tender.