Overpriced ambulances for Calabarzon unfounded

by Dong de los Reyes November 11, 2021 The alleged overpriced ambulance. (Photo from  DOH CALABARZON) LUCENA CITY - The alleged overpricing ...

by Dong de los Reyes
November 11, 2021

The alleged overpriced ambulance. (Photo from DOH CALABARZON)

LUCENA CITY - The alleged overpricing in the procurement of ambulances by the Center for Health Development (CHD)-Calabarzon is unfounded.

Regional director Dr. Eduardo C. Janairo pointed out that among the 16 CHDs, Calabarzon procurement "ranked 4th in the lowest bid price for ambulances."



Too, as Dr. Janairo stressed in his letter to DOH chief Francisco T. Duque that "the Commission on Audit (COA) of this Office was present to observe the process. Thus, in 2019, there was no Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM)/COA Findings on the procurement."

In the recent Senate hearing that tackled the alleged “overpricing of ambulances”, CHD-Calabarzon's bid and awards panel used the "Lot or Package Category with the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) of P245,000,000."



Refuting the overpricing claim made by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Janairo added that for CHD Calabarzon, the contract was awarded to the lowest calculated bid with total cost of P2,298,000 per unit.

The total bid cost of P2,298,000 is lower than (DOH-allocated) P245,000,000, hence, "the allegation of overpricing is unfounded."



CHD-Calabarzon strictly adheres to the provision of RA 9184--the government procurement law-- "in conducting its procurement of goods and equipment. The Bids and Awards Committee of this Office reviewed all the submitted bid documents taking into considerations with due diligence the legal, technical and financial capabilities of all participating bidders before declaring the lowest calculated bid," he cited.

Tenders submitted from bidders nationwide had cost ranges from P 2,190,000-2,400,000.

On the Lacson claim of “overpricing of equipment”, Janairo explained that the procurement was “Lot or Package Category” and not a Line Item, in which the Bids and Awards Committee examined the totality of the bid price and not the individual items included thereto. Accordingly, this Office also focused on warranty, certification, licenses, technical support and additional insurance included in total bid price for one ambulance together with its accessories and not on the price of each medical device and equipment.

Unfortunately, during the Senate Hearing, Sen. Lacson presented retail price of some medical devices and compared it with the 2019 Land Ambulance Market Study. The said 2019 Market Study was conducted after the First Scheduled Bidding last November 14, 2019 which was declared a “failure”. The “Bid for DOH 4A” was taken from consolidated prices of previous bidding conducted by the Office. The second bidding conducted last December 10, 2019, the award for procurement ambulance was awarded based on the total bid cost as provided in the “Lot or Package Category”, Janairo clarified.