The Bureau of Public
Enterprise (BPE) has once again re-affirmed
ENL Consortium Ltd., the winner of terminals C and D, Apapa Port
Complex, thereby settling dusts being raised over their
concessioning.
In his paper, Concession: A Case Study of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA),
presented at a one-day seminar held recently in Lagos for
journalists on concession and post-privatization monitoring, BPE’s
Director of Transportation, Alwell Ibeh, listed ENL Consortium Ltd.
as the concessionaire and tenor of terminals C and D.
Earlier, in the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE ) presentation
signed by Ibeh and sent to members of the House of Representatives
Committee on privatization and Commercialization investigating
claims in a petition that ENL won the two terminals through the back
doors, had emphasized that ENL followed due processes to win them.
Appraising the committee members, the BPE submitted that the bidding
process for the concession of the seaports commenced in December
2003 with the advertisement for the call of expression of interest (EOI)
respective bidders.
A total of 110 were received and after evaluation, 94 were
pre-qualified among which were ENL Consortium and Michelle /Gold
Star Line.
In line with the bidding process, 62 pre-qualified bidders for the
Container Terminal, Terminal C and D, Apapa port complex were issued
with Request for Proposal (RFP) and bidding documents on September
24, 2004. Consequently, the transport minister, on October 19, 2004,
flagged off the second stage of the bidding process with the pre-bid
conference held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos. It also marked
the beginning of the data room and physical due diligence exercise.
The evaluation process, according to BPE, followed the procedures
specified in the Request for Proposals (RFP) issued on September,
24,2004 and for each technical proposal, the first step in the
evaluation process was to ascertain compliance with the bidding
instructions.
Essentially, the exercise was to asses completeness and substantial
responsiveness, based on criteria that could be determined on a “
Yes/No” basis.
The second step involved detailed analyses of the component
proposals for organization and experience of the proponent; adequate
of business plan-marketing and operations, adequate business
plan-Human Resource, investment plan and financing plan.
It was also submitted that the proposals were evaluated on the basis
of a marking scheme published in the terms of reference. The marks
were tabulated and those proposals which had aggregate scores of
over 80 percent were recommended for promotion to assessment of
financial proposals.
Based on the Technical Proposal Analysis result, ENL Consortium,
Michelle Nigeria/ Gold Star Line were qualified for the Financial
Bid Opening for terminal C while the two in addition to PSA
International Limited were as well qualified for Terminal D.
Before opening the bid publicly, opening the bid on March 10, 2005,
the ground rule 7 for the bid was read. The rule states that “In
Apapa Port Complex, no single bidder will be awarded more than one
(1) concession.”
After the opening bid opening, ENL emerged the preferred bidder for
both Terminals C and D based on financial bidding of US$21,974,996
and US $ 20, 736,140 respectively over a period of 10 years at the
net value of US 13, 585,981 and US $ 12,256,537 respectively.
On the other hand, Michelle Nigeria/Gold Star Line US $ 4,555,428
which has a Net Paid Value of US $3,692,035 and US $7,678,167 with
an NPV of US $ 5, 239,645 for terminals C and D respectively.
However, ENL protested vehemently against the rule 7 which they
claimed, was introduced when the entire bidding exercise was almost
concluded, adding that it was not included in the Request For
Proposal ( RFP ).
The implication of this is that the rule was aimed at robbing ENL of
one of the terminals which by design are inseparable in terms of
operations.
The National Council on Privatization (NCP) has the unquestionable
over the privatization exercise, however, ruled in favour of ENL and
wonder why the BPE could recommend that Michelle should take over
terminal D with the bidding price and the technical proposals of ENL
a situation which was described as an attempt to make a “Tilapia
fish to carry a shark’s head.”
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Apapa
world class terminal soon —Hansen
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