NUGA Games: Firm seeks probe of OAU contract

One of the companies that bid for the
construction of the IAAF Certified tracks at
the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife has
called for the probe of the contract award
for the work. The officials of the company
who spoke with The PUNCH just as the
Nigeria University Games officials prepare to
unveil the logo for the competition.
An agent of the company who read the
explanations of the university authorities in
the newspapers over the contract said the
account of the school was full of loopholes
and pleaded that that the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission should rather
investigate the matter.
OAU had sent a press release on the matter
to our correspondent. The document signed
by the school's Public Relations Officer
Abiodun Olarwaju read, "First, a meeting was
held by the Local Organising Committee
where four contractors namely: Sports-Life
Services Limited, Vast International Company
Limited, Dynamic Sporting Solutions Limited
and PRO Point were called and their
submission analysed. At the end two main
contenders emerged: Sports-Life Services and
Vast. After a thorough appraisal of the
documents and the responses of the two
contractors to the issue of warranty and
payment schedule, Messrs Vast International
Company Limited was requested to move to
site."
But Sports-Life officials have countered that
report is the whole truth.
One of the agents said, "Their explanation
completely avoided discussing the bids of the
companies for the contract. Vast
International Ltd (who got the job) bid of
N191m is more than N50m higher than the
bids of the other three companies. The bid
document clearly shows this and how the
analyses were made.
"And it is not true that my company could
not give any warranty nor show any financial
commitment whatsoever. It is on record that
we said that we did not need any
mobilization fee to move to site but that
according to best practices all over the world
we would want to be paid for any milestone
we have done – if it is assessed and judged
satisfactory by the University's Monitoring
Team.
"In the report of the university, it was stated
that the contract would cost the university
N149m. The salient question to ask is at
what point did VAST review their bid from
N191m to N149m (a downward review of
about N42m)."