Civil Court Orders Finance Ministry To Re-Evaluate MVR 22 Million Tender

The Civil Court has ordered the Ministry of Finance to re-evaluate a MVR22 million housing scheme contract. The terms of the contract would result a loss for the State.

Although the lowest bid had been placed by SJ Construction Company, the government had contracted a bidder that had placed a higher bid. The National Tender Board had concluded that the contract had been granted because that company had the financial wherewithal and the a workforce who fulfill the qualification requirements.

SJ Construction had taken the case to the independent Review Committee; formed through the Public Finance Act; which had concluded that the company did indeed have the financial and human resources necessary for the project, and that the company should be included in the tender. The Tender Committee had not acted on that decision, and had reiterated their stance regarding SJ Construction.

The Civil Court had ruled that it could not be accepted that the Tender Board had acted on the Review Committee's decision. The Court had also noted that the letter submitted as evidence by the State had also not been signed.

The Civil Court ruled that SJ Construction fulfilled the requirements for the tender, and had ruled that the Finance Ministry re-evaluate the tender. The Court had given the Ministry of Finance until 22 January 2022.