Rejected bidder re-emerges in 'One Tablet Per Child' scheme

[webfact]

Rejected bidder re-emerges in tablet scheme
Supinda na Mahachai
The Nation

Company accused of bid rigging chosen as new supplier as Chinese firm pulls out

BANGKOK: -- A new supplier has surprisingly emerged as a "winner" in the government's One Tablet Per Child scheme after its winning offer was initially dismissed on suspicions of bid collusion.

Caretaker Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang yesterday announced that Supreme Distribution (Thailand) would be awarded the contract to deliver tablets for Zone 3.

Though the firm had bid the lowest price for the deal, it was rejected on grounds of possible bid-rigging. Only two firms had entered the e-auction for Zone 3, which involves the procurement of 426,683 tablet computers for Mathayom 1 students in the Central and Southern regions. The Bt1.24 billion offered by Supreme Distribution was about Bt5 million lower than the standard price.

The relevant authorities then decided to cancel the e-auction for Zone 3, while allowing the procurement process for the other three zones to go ahead.

Supreme Distribution appealed against the cancellation.

However, it was not until the two successful bidders for Zones 1, 2 and 4 apparently failed to honour the purchase contracts that the Education Ministry decided to review its decision.

So far, no tablets have been delivered in Zones 1 and 2, while only a few hundred of the 400,000 ordered for Zone 4 have been delivered.

"We believe the appeal by Supreme Distribution is reasonable. Though the price quoted in the e-auction for Zones 1 and 2 were very low, the suppliers failed to deliver," Chaturon said.

Chinese firm Shenzhen Yitao Intelligent Control was the winner for Zones 1 and 2, but it has yet to make any deliveries since the purchase contract was signed in September. Last month, the firm said it wanted to cancel the contract.

New resolution

Chaturon said the issue had been discussed at a meeting with relevant officials yesterday.

"We have resolved that the Office of the Basic Education Commission [Obec] will officially terminate the contract [with Shenzhen Yitao] with effect from February 10," he said.

Despite the termination of contract, the company will still be fined Bt2.3 million a day - from December 26 to February 10 - for failing to deliver. December 26 was the delivery deadline.

Chaturon said the Education Ministry would also sue the Chinese firm for damages caused to the project. "We will ask it to pay the difference between its winning price and the price offered by the new winning bidder," he said.

He added that a new auction would be called using the same terms and conditions, and should be completed in a few months. The tablets should be delivered to students by June.

-- The Nation 2014-02-08

[LuckyLew]

Another fine populist policy brought to you by the insane clown posse that run the current three ring circus that is Thailand

[Robby nz]

Wonder if Supreme Distribution will now be upping their price to compensate for the hassle and as they now appear to be the sole bidder ?

[JRSoul]

I can't see why this company couldn't win a compensation suit for damages if they can prove economic loss. They entered a bid in good faith lower than standard price, which was rejected because other (since proven to be) unrealistic bids were entered and accepted for different contracts.

[ezzra]

It seem that the only truth here in Thailand regarding theses "deals" is that you never know what the truth is..

[assayer]

BANGKOK: -- A new supplier has surprisingly emerged as a "winner" in the government's One Tablet Per Child scheme after its winning offer was initially dismissed on suspicions of bid collusion.

But now it is okay to have open corruption with this contract, right??

[arthurboy]

'Though the firm (Supreme Distribution (Thailand)) had bid the lowest price for the deal, it was rejected on grounds of possible bid-rigging.

I assume that there was clear evidence of 'possible bid-rigging' to reject the original bid. What was it, and why is this previous decision now being glossed over or ignored?

Is there more to this than meets the eye?

Answers on a postcard, please.

[sustento]

They'll all be getting the shovels out. There's no other efficient way to scoop up the bribes that this nonsense generates. When is someone (anyone) going to do the right thing for the people of Thailand? I'm not given to hyperbole but this filth is stealing the future of Thailand from under its population. Shoot them!

[thesetat2013]

With the problems associated with the tablet already recieved you would think the MOE would cancel this scheme and use that money more wisely to improve their education system. Children will not be using these tablets for the purpose of learning.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[noitom]

They have a web site - which states that they have 50 million baht in registered capital and their management page is blank. The first sentence of the About page states that "they have knowledge."

[doremifasol]

Clowns.

[MaxLee]

Wonder if Supreme Distribution will now be upping their price to compensate for the hassle and as they now appear to be the sole bidder ?

It's just another TRASH company that sells broken cheap trash...

[spirit47]

Can nobody stop this caretaker-thugs to make new deals? Time running fast in the IT branch, what they order now is old stuff, and I think the whole idea is a populistic, idiotic money burning...

[Chupup]

The mind boggles, surly another "tea money " job

[moe666]

With the problems associated with the tablet already recieved you would think the MOE would cancel this scheme and use that money more wisely to improve their education system. Children will not be using these tablets for the purpose of learning.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Would you really expect PTP to throw the towel in on any failed scam

[BSJ]

Apparently stupidity knows no bounds in this inept corrupt government!

[mads]

I don't get it.

Why would a thai company ever win this deal. They will for sure outsource the production to China, so why not cut out the middleman and ask for bids solely from Chinese producers?

[expat888]

It seem that the only truth here in Thailand regarding theses "deals" is that you never know what the truth is..

The truth is irrelevant in Thailand. All Thais will lie if it's an acceptable subject to lie about. Come to think of it, that includes all subjects.

[expat888]

All this Thai nonsense just makes me nauseous after a while. No wonder I drink so much.

[ratcatcher]

They have a web site - which states that they have 50 million baht in registered capital and their management page is blank. The first sentence of the About page states that "they have knowledge."

http://www.supreme.co.th/

[focus27]

How nice, the kids may finally get their free games machines.

[Tatsujin]

You are forgetting their desperation to find funds for the Rice Scam . . . here comes some of it now . . .

[prakhonchai nick]

That works out at 2,906baht per tablet.

Every day Makro has good tablets on offer priced at between 1,600/2,500baht AND they are making a profit.!

[haroldc]

Another failed policy designed solely to further enrich the kleptocracy, this time at the expense of children. Of course they're trying to continue it, doesn't matter that the company was "suspected of bid-rigging" -- in other words, "we thought that we could steal more if we chose the Chinese company, but oh well, I guess we'll have to settle for second best." Their time is fast running out so they need to steal as much as they can as fast as they can.

[monkeycountry]

Pretty much every Thai I know, including Thai teachers, parents and kids, think this tablet scheme is useless - they mostly just laugh. Every single foreigner I talk with thinks the same, and it seems almost everyone online thinks it is useless too. Yet the PTP is pushing ahead with the scheme like there is no tomorrow.

Is there anyone at all who is in doubt what the real motive is here?

Edited February 8, 2014 by monkeycountry

[falangadang]

Time for Yingluck and the PTP to just drop the tablet program.

Just come out and say something like "We had the best of intentions with both the Free Tablet policy and the Rice Pledging Scheme but they were both mistakes and so we are dropping both programs effective immediately"!

[webfact]

Education Ministry cancels tablet acquisition from China
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Feb 8 – The Education Ministry has decided to suspend procurement of over 900,000 tablet PCs from China and hold a new tender soon, according to caretaker minister Chaturon Chaisaeng.

He told reporters after chairing the “one tablet, one student” committee meeting yesterday that the devices, ordered from Shenzhen Ying Tang Intelligent Control Co of China, were originally to be distributed to Pathom 1 students nationwide.

Shenzhen Ying Tang, however, informed the Education Ministry on Jan 29 that they were cancelling the contract, citing Thailand’s political uncertainty.

Mr Chaturon said the ministry would demand back the Bt120million guarantee deposit and dock the Chinese company Bt100 million for delayed deliveries.

The Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) was instructed to organise the electronics tender for the tablet computers which should have been acquired in time for the new school year in June.

Specifications for the devices will remain unchanged in order to speed up the acquisition, he said.

Regarding an appeal by Supreme Distribution (Thailand) against the OBEC’s order to cancel tablet PCs contract for Matayom 1 students in the central and southern regions, Mr Chaturon said the Education Ministry would stand by the OBEC’s decision.

The supplier in Zone 4 which covers Matayom 1 students in the North and Northeast has delivered 18,000 units to the Obec, though slightly delayed.

He said the OBEC was instructed to compile a report on issues found unsuccessful from the project implementation, with an emphasis on how to prevent corruption, from delayed deliveries and an investigation by the Office of the Auditor General.

Specifications for new tablets to be acquired for the new academic year will also be worked out by the OBEc, he said. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-02-08

[GeorgeO]

Can nobody stop this caretaker-thugs to make new deals? Time running fast in the IT branch, what they order now is old stuff, and I think the whole idea is a populistic, idiotic money burning...

As far as I'm aware, the deal made by the government at the time has fallen apart, so they are looking to make a new deal with an alternative supplier, but that is something that goes beyond their remit as a 'caretaker' government...!!

[MaxLee]

Education Ministry cancels tablet acquisition from China

Just a baby toddler knee jerk reaction for canceling the rice pledging deal and make the Pheu Thai lose face

Edited February 8, 2014 by MaxLee

[Tatsujin]

Education Ministry cancels tablet acquisition from China

Just a baby toddler knee jerk reaction for canceling the rice pledging deal and make the Pheu Thai lose face

Or simply perhaps they see the writing on the wall and are trying to get out of as many of these fake/dodgy deals as quickly as they can before the investigations start in earnest to give them time to hide/change the paper trail.