Friday, March 29, 2024

Malupenga insists no company has been awarded digital migration contract

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Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Amos Malupenga
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Amos Malupenga

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, Amos Malupenga, has clarified that no contract has been awarded to any company for the commissioning of a national digital terrestrial television broadcasting system in Zambia.

And Mr. Malupenga has described the conduct by Star Software Technologies Company Limited, the preferred bidder for the job, to issue a media statement on the ongoing tender process as misleading, unprofessional and uncalled for.

Mr. Malupenga has however explained that Star Software Technologies Company Limited has been selected as a preferred bidder to be awarded a contract subject to meeting all conditions stipulated in the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) Act.

He was reacting to media reports in some newspapers and online publications that quoted Star Software Technologies Company Limited as having said government had awarded a contract to the company for the digital migration programme.

Mr. Malupenga explained that after the closure of receiving bids, a ministerial committee met to evaluate all the bids that were submitted and settled for Star Software Technologies Company Limited as a preferred bidder.

He further explained that Huawei Technologies Company Limited, ZTE Corporation, Gospell Digital Technology Company Limited and King Tai Investments Zambia Limited were unsuccessful bidders.

The Permanent Secretary said reasons for rejecting Huawei Technologies Company Limited’s bid were non compliant, supply of partial quantities and omission of items.

Mr. Malupenga said as for ZTE Corporation, the reasons were non compliant, omissions of items, non compliant to technical specifications while Gospell Digital Technology Company Limited’s bid was rejected for non compliant, bid security and partial quantity.

He pointed out that King Tai Investments Zambia Limited’s bid was rejected for non compliant and insufficient proof of similar contracts handled on television broadcasting equipment.

Mr. Malupenga added that late last month, the ministry issued a notice in the Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail newspapers informing all the five bidders and other interested parties of its decision to settle for Star Software Technologies Company Limited as its preferred bidder.

He further said the notice, did not in itself constitute an award of contract and bidders that were aggrieved had the right to appeal under ZPPA Act within ten working days excluding the labour day and weekends.

Meanwhile, Mr. Malupenga has described the conduct by Star Software Technologies Company Limited to issue a media statement on the ongoing tender process as misleading, unprofessional and uncalled for.

Mr. Malupenga said he does not understand the intentions of Star Software Technologies Company Limited to issue a statement to the media when the firm knows too well that the ministry can only award them a contract after the Ministry of Justice under the Office of the Attorney General had done its work.

Zambia will join the rest of the world in migrating from the analogue to digital television in June 2015.

For this reason, government is expected to award a contract to a company to supply, deliver, install and commission a national digital terrestrial television broadcasting system in Zambia before the deadline.

ZANIS

11 COMMENTS

  1. Mr. Malupenga, may be the kick-back money has not yet reflected in your account/”authorities” account. Once that is done, Star Software will be confirmed as the winning bidder lol

  2. Amos, Please what really are you struggling to communicate over StarTimes press release today? I can’t get it. You have selected them as the best and preferred bidders while all others failed to meet standards as of the closing date. That means StarTimes are ultimate vendors for this project. They issued a PR to build an international image that will see many financial houses rally around the opportunity. This is how such capital projects work young man. Few vendors could have the millions of dollars required but dash to the market for funding with a good PR at hand.

  3. These thieves will require a firing squad the day they wll leave power. PF has proved to be worse than mmd where plundering is & Tumfwenko has already singled out Mulenga Sata as leading the record so far.

  4. Go at ZAMIM and try to take a few basic classes in Purchasing and Supply may be you will be enlightened on vendor management and Projects. Considering that the bids legally closed and StarTimes has been selected as the preferred vendor of choice compliant with set RFP benchmarks issued to all i suppose, this PR today is in no way illegal but a good initiative to start sending good fillers in the financial market that StarTimes has a good investment opportunity in Zambia. Where do you expect them to get funds from if they continue playing your hide and denial tactics?

  5. This grade five has used all the time and space trying to make a point but not getting there. If the other bidders were unsuccessful, then the other is successful so why trying to twist things you product of corruption? I think even your mother cheated on your father that is if you are not a bastard. Know wonder lying a d corruption are part of you

  6. It clear that of the 5 companies Star Software Technology Co., Ltd. satisfied the tender requirements and as far as everyone is concerned they have won the contract anything else is just formality and mere paperwork. I am not surprised this Chinese non-public company has beat off Asian rivals HTC and ZTE as its sole main focus is digital TV solutions and it was also among the top 20 promising non-public companies in China 2012.
    So Amos stop beating about the bush if you yourself ain’t satisfied that they didn’t give you any kick backs as your explanation is not only unprofessional BUT irrelevant. This is the selfsame reason why we never get the best services for our public services as these self-serving individuals are forever meddling in the gov’t tender and procurement processes.

  7. YABA! Can I ask my fellow Zambians a simple question. How nice would it be to have a smart humble studious male or female Zambian in a position of authority.

  8. Countries like Kenya and are ferverishly working on being the next ICT tech hubs while zambia is still in the analogue planning stage.Its like we’re still cavemen.

  9. Bakolwe, you do not announce or communicate to the so-called preferred bidder before the bidder has fully complied with the ZPPA laws, ok? What if they fail, after a recommendation from the MTC? Do you want them to start elleging something was done underhand? Stupid system!

  10. You are a liar no wonder you break other peoples marriages. We have so mach data about your lies and beaking marriagies on the copperbelt. Go to school.

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