THERE  is a possibility that the free tablets of Mayor Vico Sotto to Pasig City students will not be distributed before classes open on October 5 as the lowest bidder continues to file a protest after the technical working group rejected its bid.

According to the technical working group of the Bids and Awards Committee, RedDot Imaging Philippines failed to comply with many aspects, like the capability to deliver the products on time.

The company offered the lowest tablet price during the live bidding to clinch the contract.

Last week, the company filed a motion for reconsideration after it was disqualified by the technical working group, one of the rights given to disqualified bidders.

Based on the gathered information, if the technical working group had rejected its motion for reconsideration for the second time, the company can still file a protest.

Mayor Sotto, as head of procuring entity, will decide if  the rejected firm would be given a chance or not,

According to source, RedDot Imaging Philippines can file a case in court to get the project. This is also stated in the procurement law.

“Kapag may nai-file na protest, definitely hindi namin puwedeng i-award [sa iba] ang nasabing proyekto. Kaya kung sakaling ang gagawin lang ng RedDot ay ‘mang-asar’, talagang hindi uusad ang proseso sa pagbili ng nasabing gadget,” the source said.

“Hindi rin natin puwedeng i-apply ang tinatawag na ‘negotiated procurement’ o isang uri ng pagbili ng mga kinakailangang gamit para sa isang proyekto kapag nasa emergency situation dahil naipa-bid po natin ito, o posted po for bidding,” the source added.

Meanwhile, Rep. Roman Romulo of Pasig City’s lone district said that the procurement law has a good intention.

However, he stressed that sometimes the law was being used incorrectly.

He also admitted that there is no perfect law.

“Kasi kung titingnan mo talaga, tama itong ‘Procurement Law’ para fair sa lahat, pero kung aabusuhin naman, hindi na tama iyon. Kaya titingnan natin na baka puwede nang i-revise ang batas na ito,” Romulo said in a virtual presser with members of the PaMaMariSan-Rizal Press Corps on Monday morning.

“Ngunit tumutulong na ngayon ang lokal na pamahalaan sa mga eskuwelahan para mabigyan sila ng tinatawag na ‘self-learning materials’. Ang punto ay kapag hindi agad ito mabibili dahil sa ilang legalities, gumagawa tayo ng paraan para hindi mawalan ng edukasyon ang mga mag-aaral,” the Pasig lawmaker added.