Goa Forward moves Lokayukta against contractor of IFFI 2016

Goa Forward (GF) party has petitioned Lokayukta challenging the appointment of a contractor for providing various services at the upcoming edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) scheduled to begin from November 20 here.
In a formal complaint filed before Lokayukta today, GF spokesman Durgadas Kamat has alleged that Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), which is a nodal agency to host IFFI, has awarded a contract to TGL India Private Limited despite being the highest bidder, violating the bidding norms.
"The contract of appointment of vendor for the work of availing artistic services for ideation/conceptualization, creation, designing, fabrication, supply erection/installation and all other allied activities on rental for IFFI 2016 has been awarded to TGL India Private Limited at the cost of Rs 6.5 crore," he said in the petition.

"The same works were awarded for almost Rs 3.95 crore for IFFI 2015. In the worst case scenario an escalation of 15 per cent amounting nearly Rs 60 lakhs could be accepted while awarding tender for IFFI 2016. However the tender has been awarded for an amount of Rs 6.5 Crores which is nearly Rs 2.6 crores more than IFFI 2015," Kamat said.
GF has pleaded thatLokayukta may investigate into the alleged illegalities in awarding the tender for works and hold an inquiry and scrap the entire tendering process, and order fresh tendering.
It has also pleaded that Lokayukta, by way of temporary injunction, stay the operation of tender awarded to TLG India Pvt Ltd by ESG for IFFI 2016 and start a fresh tender process.

Kamat has alleged that the "entire evaluation of technical and financial bid has been drawn in such a manner so as to award the tender to TLG India Pvt. Ltd."
He has said more stress has been laid down in evaluating the technical bid on the design rather than on the experience and the financial stability of the bidders which is a mass deviation from last year (2015) tender conditions.
The complainant states that, TLG India Pvt Ltd which has been awarded the tender for 2016 edition does not have any past experience.