Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1412606
3 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 22 SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS COVID-19 'Irregularities in competitive process' and typing error cited in bidders' objections CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Malta Gozo Fixed Link argued that the contracting authority failed to adhere to the proce- dures previously indicated in the PQQ, leading to irregularities in the competitive process. This should have led to the au- tomatic cancellation of the PQQ procedure, the company argued. Additionally, the company stated that the reasons for failure to be shortlisted are unfounded in fact and at law. It maintained that the clarifica- tion requested by the authority was fully addressed, and that it was in full compliance with the technical and professional re- quirements outlined in the PQQ. Meanwhile, CGYI Malta Gozo Consortium were disqualified from the tendering process on the basis that it did not meet the minimum score required in the Technical and Professional Ca- pabilities section. However, in its objection let- ter the company refers to a ty- pographical error. In one of the documents presented to a member of the joint venture, the number of prosecutions in two of the three columns was mis- takenly listed as "3" instead of "0". The PQQ had stated that a par- ticipant with five or more pros- ecutions or significant accidents in tunneling projects would not be eligible for participation in the tendering process. Due to the errors, the company appeared to have six prosecu- tions, leading to its immediate disqualification from the tender- ing process. CGYI Malta Gozo Consortium is made up of four companies: China Communications Con- struction Co. Ltd, Intertoll In- frastructure Developments BV, YDA Insaat Sanayi VE Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, and Gullermak Agir Sanayi Insaat ve Tahhut AS. China Communications Con- struction had financed a feasibil- ity study into a bridge between Malta and Gozo soon after the Labour Party was elected to gov- ernment. All foreign, the companies largely focus on road construc- tion projects, including tunnels and motorway infrastructure. Malta Gozo Fixed Link Limit- ed is made up solely of Maltese investors, including the son of the late Hugo Chetcuti as one of its shareholders. None of the investors in this company seem to have experience in large infra- structural works. The only bidder to make the shortlist was a consortium of five companies. These include UK-based Equitix, Japanese company Itochu, the French construction company Egis, and two Turkish construction com- panies named Yapi Merkezi and Makyol. As is procedure, technical ne- gotiations will be held with the shortlisted bidders on the pro- posed project. Transport minister Ian Borg had said that the tunnel project will be completely financed by the winning bidder, with no cap- ital expenditure financed by gov- ernment. The Malta-Gozo tunnel was an electoral pledge from the Labour Party, and had received biparti- san support in parliament when the motion was put forward by ministers Ian Borg and Justyne Caruana. However, the project was origi- nally the brainchild of former PN minister Chris Said. When the motion was tabled in parliament, Caruana pointed out that there was going to be an element of con- tinuity, with the Labour adminis- tration finishing what the Nation- alist administration started. The proposed tunnel will have entrances at Nadur in Gozo and l-Imbordin in Malta. Studies show that the project is expect- ed to generate one million cubic metres of waste. A MaltaToday survey from 2019 found that 60.9% of the public was in favour of the pro- ject, with agreement on the tun- nel cutting across all age, gender, and location demographics. However, it is unclear whether the introduction of a fast ferry service between Malta and Gozo has impacted the public opinion on whether the tunnel project is necessary for increased connec- tivity. A 91-year-old woman has died after contracting COVID-19, ac- cording to the Ministry of Health's daily COVID-19 bulletin. 24 new cases of COVID-19 have been registered in Malta, while 43 patients have since recovered. As of Monday, there are 554 ac- tive cases of COVID-19. 21 patients are currently being treated at Mater Dei Hospital, four of whom are receiving care in the hospital's ITU. Vaccinations 812,828 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered until Monday. From these, 5,389 jabs were booster doses. COVID-19: 91-year-old woman dies, four patients in ITU The Gozo tunnel entry points are likely to be in Manikata and Nadur