HC halts AP-based Co's bid to operate Maha health project

The Bombay High Court has dismissed the plea of an Andhra Pradesh-based company seeking to cancel the tender awarded to Pune-based M/s BVG India to develop and operate a prestigious health project in Maharashtra.

The project, known as Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services Project, involves procurement of 937 ambulances with medical equipment.

Finding no merits in the petition, Justice A R Joshi and Justice S F Vajifdar dismissed the petition filed by M/s GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute on May 11 but extended till July 16 the stay granted earlier.

The petitioner urged that its techinal bid may be declared as valid and sought a direction to the authorities in Maharashtra to declare open its financial bid and, if found fit, to declare the petitioners as the successful bidders.

 

In the alternate, the petitioner sought a writ of mandamus directing the State of Maharashtra, State Health Society and Directorate of Health Services to cancel the project in favour of M/s BVG India and to float a fresh tender for the work.

The respondents by a notice dated August 2, 2011, invited tenders to develop and operate Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) project. The bids were to be submitted by September 15, 2011. The bidders were asked to submit bids in two envelopes viz technical bid (envelope 1) and commercial bid (envelope 2). September 15 was the last date for submitting tender documents and was also the scheduled date for opening of technical bids. The date for opening the price bids was to be notified later. The tentative duration of the project was for five years.