DMA to engage company for city branding on national days to end monopoly

Islamabad – After remaining under the criticism for many years for its shaky deals, the Directorate of Municipal Administration is going to procure the services of a company for the outdoor branding and event management on national days through competitive process on the special instruction of the Administrator.

A tender in this regard has already been flouted to get bids from well-reputed firms on rate running basis for the provision of illumination, lighting, decoration arrangement and city branding as per requirement on national days like Kashmir Solidarity Day, Pakistan Day, Independence Day and Black Day and on the occasion of the VVIP’S delegations visit to Pakistan.

Earlier, such campaigns were being given to blue-eyed contractors on single quotation basis by citing urgency as the reason behind and in most of the cases the directorate came under fire for making shaky deals.

It was alleged that the contractor with the help of DMA officers not only gets tenders but also charges very high rates as there was no competition in the past.

Meanwhile, it is also evident from the record that some influential contractors also created a monopoly over the system and earned millions of rupees in the past but without going into any competition.   

As for instance in year 2022, about 80 percent of outdoor branding and event management was given to a certain company, which came under spotlight for getting dual payment as well and resultantly the same was blacklisted.

Not only this but Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon, who is the Administrator of the Metropolitan Corporation as well had expressed his displeasure over the poor state of affairs and removed a director and the deputy director from their positions and appointed new officers there as well.

He had ordered the recently posted Director DMA to immediately devise a mechanism and engage a contractor at least for one year through open competition to complete aforementioned tasks.

When contacted, Director DMA Asad Abbas while talking to The Nation said that we are going into the tendering process because we want to avoid the allegations of corruption and favoritism in future.

He added further that the most suitable firm with relevant experience and lowest rate would be given the contract as per rule, which will not only end the backdoor favours but it will also save the public exchequer from any possible loss.

He explained further that we have some certain tasks to do every year while some works of emergent nature also come and the successful bidder could complete his job in a transparent manner without any pressure.  

Estimated cost for this rate running contract for the period of one year for DMA, MCI is Rs.30 million and the firm and companies having minimum three-year experience of the relevant field could only participate.

The companies have been asked to submit their technical as well as financial bids before 31st January 2023 and the same day the proposals would be opened and evaluated.

Article source: https://www.nation.com.pk/30-Jan-2023/dma-to-engage-company-for-city-branding-on-national-days-to-end-monopoly