By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 30: The Mission Director of the National Health Mission, Ramkumar S has denied any illegalities in the ongoing tender for selecting the firm for running ambulance services in the state.
Soon after bidders made a series of allegations regarding the tendering process, he said the claim that a midnight notice was released for the presentation was misleading. The bidders were well aware of the requirement for presentations based on the parameters defined in the request for proposal (RFP) document, he said.
“The RFP document explicitly stated the need for presentations, and bidders were required to submit them along with their technical bids. This implies that the necessity for presentations was not a last-minute surprise but a pre-established part of the bidding process,” Ramkumar said.
Stating that the Committee for Technical Screening at NHM, Meghalaya, had already conducted a preliminary assessment of the hard copy presentations submitted by each bidder in the technical bid, he said the decision to conduct further presentations was likely made to evaluate the actual ability of the bidders to showcase their proposals and convince the committee members about their competence.
“Also, the time limit was already mentioned in the notice given with an option of being online or in person. The time limit was fair to everyone. The allocated 10 minutes for presentations and 5 minutes for Q&A may seem limited, but it is a standard practice in the evaluation process, and it is reasonable to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the bidders within this time frame,” he said.
On the allegations that experienced companies were being favoured in the quality assessment process, while less experienced companies were neglected, Ramkumar said it was crucial to recognise that the tender document and the entire bidding process were developed over time and with necessary approvals.
“There were pre-bid meetings held, clarifications, and sufficient time given for potential bidders to respond to the same,” he said while adding that the departure of GVK EMRI from the bidding process for the 108 emergency services in Meghalaya, despite being one of the biggest companies in the Indian emergency service domain, should be viewed as a significant development rather than a setback.
According to Ramkumar, it was crucial to remember that the services of GVK EMRI were terminated in the state due to their inability to provide efficient and uninterrupted services, leading to multiple agitations, protests and even calls for their removal by their own field staff. This termination of services highlighted the pressing need for a more efficient and accountable emergency service provider, he added.
He also said that by allowing new companies with expertise in similar work to participate, the committee responsible for the selection process aims to open the doors to efficient, professional, and ethical bidders, adding this approach is essential in weeding out inefficiencies and ensuring that only the best and most reliable service providers are chosen.
“Monopolies or undue influence from any single firm can compromise the quality and effectiveness of public services, and it’s vital to maintain a competitive landscape to drive innovation and improve service delivery,” Ramkumar said.
A delegation of bidders met with Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh earlier in the day, and she promised them that the bidding process would be transparent.
Lyngdoh informed the bidders that a qualitative assessment will be the main focus of the tender process.
To learn about the problems of the 108 workers, the minister is expected to meet with them on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, contrary to what has been reported in some media outlets, Medulance, one of the bidders for the contract to manage the ambulance services, has said that it has six years of work experience.
The Delhi government has been using Medulance’s ambulance services for more than three years, and the firm said in a statement that it still does so. It also added that Medulance functions as an integrated emergency response system that includes both privately and publically operated ambulances.
More than 250 ambulance contracts are held on retainer by ambulance service. The NHM has all the required documentation in hard copy, which was submitted during the technical bidding procedure, the statement stated.
It also stated that Medulance provides 102 helplines in Delhi and works with well-known hospital chains like Narayana Health in addition to public sector undertakings (PSUs) including NTPC, GAIL, and Coal India.