Contractor complains tender at Unocal
Friday, July 21 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
The Balikpapan-based chemical product supplier PT Superimex Wahana Tama made a complaint to the local chamber of commerce and trade (Kadin) against oil and gas firm PT Unocal Indonesia Company for the lack of transparency in the tender process at the latter.
The East Kalimantan Kaltim Post daily quoted Superimex president Kusnari Ribat as saying that change in the mechanism to appoint the winner of the tender from a direct selection process into a direct appointment had raised a suspicion of possible collusive and nepotism practices.
Unocal appointed on July 11 PT Fajar Mas Semesta as the winner of the tender to supply the company low toxic based oil mud.
But Kusnari said that the tender process was very unusual and also complained that Unocal didn't disclose the price offered by Fajar Mas. He said that this had caused a sense of unfairness.
He also said that he had sent a letter to Unocal vice president and general manager Robert M. Hinkel, but the replay was disappointing. He said that this was the reason he went to Kadin.
Meanwhile, Hinkel said in his reply letter that the chemical product was needed by the company urgently.
He said that because of the urgent need, Unocal asked suppliers to submit their price offer and made a direct appointment based on the best price. He added that Fajar Mas was appointed because it offered the lowest price compared to the other bidders.
Hinkel also said that the tender process was already in accordance with the existing procedure issued by the state oil and gas firm Pertamina. (*)