KENYA – Tender Board, a Kenyan procurement watchdog, has nullified a US$ 1.5 million tender issued by the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) for the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of a canning line.

This follows an invitation made by the KMC in November 2022, to allow tenders for the procurement of supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the canning line.

According to the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB), KMC had disqualified a tender offered by Apex Projects Limited at the very preliminary stage by the evaluation committee without disclosing the reasons behind it.

KMC later reported that Apex Projects Limited’s tender had been found unresponsive for not having the National Construction Authority certificates.

Aggrieved by the decision Apex Projects sought a review of the decision at the PPARB. Among the orders it sought was for the board to order a fresh evaluation of all eligible tenders that had met the mandatory requirements.

Apex Projects told the Board that the tendering process was flawed and KMC had doctored the annexure documents in favor of TML Group Limited.

The board, which is chaired by Faith Waigwa, said the applicant did not prove that the annexures were doctored to favor the TML Group.

At the end of the evaluation period, the KMC committee recommended the tender be awarded to TML Group Limited as the company was technically and financially qualified to supply the canning line machines at a total cost of US$ 1.5 million.

The commission had previously been commended for ensuring that the meat sector delivered quality meat to Kenyan citizens and to the export market.

According to the Meat Training Institute (MTI) Principal, Salome Kairu, the institution’s vision was to train personnel from the meat trade and industry in hygienic production, inspection, and processing of meat and meat products.

“I want to single out the contribution of the Kenya Meat Commission over the years in the training of meat handlers and meat processors in Kenya and beyond. The collaboration in this endeavor has been a strong one,” she added.

In the same period, the Kenya Meat Commission opened branches in counties that had been severely hit by drought to avert the death of weak animals that are in transit to the main plant in Athi River.

KMC managing director James Gathaga said that it would target existing slaughterhouses in Wajir, Moyale and West Pokot for the exercise that will also serve other neighboring counties.

 

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