Dominican opposition leader slams tender to rebuild Jarabacoa aqueduct

Dominican Republic opposition party Fuerza del Pueblo – with one eye on the 2024 general elections – questioned the method used to put out to tender a US$140mn plan to rebuild an aqueduct and refurbish the sewage system of Jarabacoa municipality. 

Party leader Leonel Fernández (in photo) said on Monday that even though it is a much-needed project, the tender terms stipulated unrealistic requirements. 

“It started badly because there was a public tender made for a project that has a cost of 7.8bn pesos [US$140mn], and in the bidding rules, it is required that the participant has a credit line of 400mn pesos with national banks and sales of equipment and machinery of over 1bn pesos,” he said during a speech, according to news outlet Al Momento. 

“How many engineers in La Vega can comply with these requirements?” he asked.  

The tender was published in April by the aqueducts and sewage  authority of La Vega province and with an estimated value of 7.80bn pesos. However, the process was cancelled by the authority on May 11 “on the recommendation of the ruling body” after it came under fire due to some of the financial requirements, which critics say would impede most firms from participating. No new tender has been published.

A group of engineers from La Vega province filed a complaint before the local authorities, while representatives from the country’s association of architects, engineers and surveyors (Codia) called for a change to the bidding rules.

“This is an excluding, abusive and opaque tender. They should have put the name of the company they want to award the contract to because in La Vega there’s not even two companies with that economic capability,” Proceso news outlet quoted former Codia president Teodoro Tejada as saying in the first week of May.

The process leading up to the general elections kicked off on July 2 with the beginning of the pre-campaign period as stated by law. On May 19, 2024, Dominicans will elect a president, lawmakers and municipal authorities. 

Photo: Leonel Fernández (Source: Fuerza del Pueblo party)