New Delay in Panama City's Waste Collection Tender

A new delay has hit the tender for selecting companies to handle waste collection in the capital, as the General Directorate of Public Procurements (DGCP) ordered a new partial evaluation, the fourth to be conducted. The dispute centers on lot 3, corresponding to the contract for zone 4 of the capital, between the Istmo Green Panamá consortium, which filed the complaint, and the Aseo del Este consortium. The entity did not agree to the request for a new verification commission to review the proposals, as demanded by the complaining consortium. This is the last complaint Istmo Green can file, although it still has the option of appealing before the Administrative Tribunal of Public Procurements, for which it would have to post a bond. On January 7, the third report was issued, which disqualified Istmo Green, prompting the consortium's reaction. Through a law firm, it filed a new complaint on January 8, which led to the latest statement from Public Procurements. The Aseo del Este consortium submitted a bid of $39.3 million, while Istmo Green's proposal was for $44.7 million. In Zone 3, comprising Chilibre, Alcalde Díaz, Las Cumbres, Ernesto Córdoba, and Caimitillo, the Aseo Total consortium offered $39.3 million and had no competitors. The DGCP also instructed to evaluate Istmo Green regarding the certificate of existence and technical experience. Zone 4, which includes Tocumen, Pedregal, Mañanitas, Juan Díaz, Las Garzas, San Martín, 24 de Diciembre, and Pacora, was the only one with more than one bidder. In Zone 2, made up of the districts of Betania, Pueblo Nuevo, San Francisco, Río Abajo, Parque Lefevre, and Don Bosco, Istmo Green competed without opposition and submitted a bid of $46.3 million. This time, Public Procurements requested an evaluation by the same verification commission to review whether the Aseo del Este consortium meets the technical experience, financing capacity, financial statements, financial ratios, and certification of the waste collection management software distributor. The tender to select the companies in charge of sanitation in the capital has suffered a new delay after the DGCP ordered a new partial evaluation, which would be the fourth to be carried out. The tender has already been going on for eight months since it was called, and during that period, a claim was filed before the opening of the economic proposals. The contract must be awarded in three of the four geographical zones into which the AAUD divided the capital district. Istmo Green's first claim was filed on December 2, and on December 12, the DGCP totally annulled the second report of the commission. Subsequently, on November 7, the Urban and Household Waste Authority (AAUD) partially annulled the first report of the evaluation commission.