- Regulator giving lucrative tenders to SA companies - The matter has been reported to Office of the President, PPRA
The Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) has come under fire for allegedly considering foreign companies in its lucrative tenders and ignoring qualifying citizen contractors.
This comes after the authority ran a tender for AVSEC Screening Systems which closed on the 6th of February 2024 where it is alleged to have engaged some foreign companies that were engaged last year.
CAAB is responsible for regulation of Air transport, providing air navigation services, managing airport and advising the government on all aspects of civil aviation.
Last month, the CAAB was reported by a local citizen company to the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) regarding bid invitations for AVSEC Screening Systems, directly appointed to foreign companies.
According to the letter seen by Botswana Guardian, last year on 23rd February 2023, the contractor wrote a letter to CAAB raising a query on a tender for Supply & Installation of an Air/Freight Cargo X-Ray Scanner at Sir
Seretse Khama International Airport (SSKIA), which was sent to two South African Companies.
The company stated that the response given by CAAB was not to their satisfaction and they further presented their query at Office of The President.
“OP [Mr E. Phiri] engaged with CAAB's CEO and the feedback was that they were pressed for time and had to finish with the tender before the end of the Financial Year, hence they decided to procure from the Original
Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs). It must be noted that these two foreign companies are not Manufacturers. We did not pursue the matter any further mainly due to the urgency mentioned above, with the hope that we will get invitations to compete in the future,” reads the letter of complaint to PPRA.
The local company argues that it believes that this is pure injustice on the side of Botswana Citizen Owned Companies dealing with AVSEC Screening Solutions as they do not stand a chance of penetrating the RSA Market but things are made easy for their counterparts on the Botswana side with direct invitations and appointments.
“It is surprising that there is another running tender for AVSEC Screening Systems at CAAB still involving the same foreign companies which is closing on Tuesday 06th February, 2024. It is for this reason that we saw it fit to reach out to your good Office to intervene."
Another query was raised where a foreign company was invited to bid for Supply and Installation of Luggage Scanners. This was said to be happening yet again the same time as last year, towards the end of the Financial Year. A plea was made to CAAB Chief Executive Officer’s office to consider the Public Procurement Act on the current bid; to give eligible Botswana Citizen Owned Companies a chance to compete.
“There are eligible Botswana Citizen Owned Companies dealing with Security Screening Solutions with a proven track record. The expectation is to have these companies including ours to be given a chance to compete before inviting foreign companies. For example, our company, supplied all the Screening Systems (Carry-On & Hold Luggage Screening, as well as People Screening) installed at SSKIA. Another local company have their machine installed at SSKIA International Arrivals. This is just a few, there are other sites in Botswana where Citizen Owned Companies have installed Security Screening Systems," reads the letter dated 6th February 2024.
CAAB Manager Public Affairs, Modipe Nkwe said the Authority is not aware of any such matter being reported to the PPRA. He said CAAB has not been notified of such by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority itself.
“We are therefore unable to provide any details or respond to your enquiries until we receive such formal notification, with specific references so that we give meaningful and well-informed responses to your questions,” he said in response to a questionnaire sent to him.
This comes after the authority ran a tender for AVSEC Screening Systems which closed on the 6th of February 2024 where it is alleged to have engaged some foreign companies that were engaged last year.
CAAB is responsible for regulation of Air transport, providing air navigation services, managing airport and advising the government on all aspects of civil aviation.
Last month, the CAAB was reported by a local citizen company to the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) regarding bid invitations for AVSEC Screening Systems, directly appointed to foreign companies.
According to the letter seen by Botswana Guardian, last year on 23rd February 2023, the contractor wrote a letter to CAAB raising a query on a tender for Supply & Installation of an Air/Freight Cargo X-Ray Scanner at Sir
Seretse Khama International Airport (SSKIA), which was sent to two South African Companies.
The company stated that the response given by CAAB was not to their satisfaction and they further presented their query at Office of The President.
“OP [Mr E. Phiri] engaged with CAAB's CEO and the feedback was that they were pressed for time and had to finish with the tender before the end of the Financial Year, hence they decided to procure from the Original
Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs). It must be noted that these two foreign companies are not Manufacturers. We did not pursue the matter any further mainly due to the urgency mentioned above, with the hope that we will get invitations to compete in the future,” reads the letter of complaint to PPRA.
The local company argues that it believes that this is pure injustice on the side of Botswana Citizen Owned Companies dealing with AVSEC Screening Solutions as they do not stand a chance of penetrating the RSA Market but things are made easy for their counterparts on the Botswana side with direct invitations and appointments.
“It is surprising that there is another running tender for AVSEC Screening Systems at CAAB still involving the same foreign companies which is closing on Tuesday 06th February, 2024. It is for this reason that we saw it fit to reach out to your good Office to intervene."
Another query was raised where a foreign company was invited to bid for Supply and Installation of Luggage Scanners. This was said to be happening yet again the same time as last year, towards the end of the Financial Year. A plea was made to CAAB Chief Executive Officer’s office to consider the Public Procurement Act on the current bid; to give eligible Botswana Citizen Owned Companies a chance to compete.
“There are eligible Botswana Citizen Owned Companies dealing with Security Screening Solutions with a proven track record. The expectation is to have these companies including ours to be given a chance to compete before inviting foreign companies. For example, our company, supplied all the Screening Systems (Carry-On & Hold Luggage Screening, as well as People Screening) installed at SSKIA. Another local company have their machine installed at SSKIA International Arrivals. This is just a few, there are other sites in Botswana where Citizen Owned Companies have installed Security Screening Systems," reads the letter dated 6th February 2024.
CAAB Manager Public Affairs, Modipe Nkwe said the Authority is not aware of any such matter being reported to the PPRA. He said CAAB has not been notified of such by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority itself.
“We are therefore unable to provide any details or respond to your enquiries until we receive such formal notification, with specific references so that we give meaningful and well-informed responses to your questions,” he said in response to a questionnaire sent to him.
