CSS revives the million-dollar trash contest

A few days before the general election, the Social Insurance Fund (HSS) has revived bidding process 2023-1-10-0-99-LV-524882, which seeks to contract for the collection and treatment of hospital waste at its facilities across the country.

It is a five-year contract worth 58.7 million dollars in whichlisted irregularities that could use predetermined private interests.

Yesterday, CSS uploaded the tender documentation that it suspended General Administration for Public Procurement (DGCP), fwill set next Thursday, April 12, as the new date for the delivery of offers.

DGCP has asked CSS to correct tender documentation after the three companies interested in the procedure asserted that the procedure is exclusive and that it limits competition in financial and technical terms.

Yesterday, HSS published tender documentation with alleged changes. The entity opened the presentation of financial letters to foreign banks, but maintained its stance of accepting only incineration as the only processing method. Thate deals with the central point of the claims that were declared discriminatory.

This would mean that CSS would be the favorite for this million dollar contract to the company that has maintained this contract for the last 10 years through add-ons and direct extensions: Pumper SA.

This controversial company would have a clear takeover path CSS contract on the management and processing of hazardous waste, as other companies offering the “autoclave” method (a pressurized chamber used to sterilize waste at temperatures of approximately 129°C) will be excluded. And this despite the fact that the autoclave is an effective method recognized by Panamanian legislation.’

5 dollars

and 6 dollars per kilogram of waste is determined by CSS now in this tender.

$1.50

currently paying CSS to a private contractor in Bocas del Toro.

The company Servicios Múltiples was one of the companies that managed to obtain the DGCP accepted his request against the statement of objections due to the determination of requirements that put his offer in a disadvantageous position, one of which is the requirement that the only way of processing waste is incineration.

The specifications even required companies to have an incinerator in order to compete. But CSS didn’t correct any of that and now the entity’s management will insist on trying to keep the deal tied up.or before the May 5 election.

It is understood that the affected companies have until this Friday to resend theirs complaints about tender documentation that CSS allegedly corrected by order of the DGCP.

Sources connected to the process point out that in this tender there are also irregularities with the reference prices that are based on the economic proposals of Pumper, a company that jumped into controversy in the government of Juan Carlos Varela due to the direct bargaining that it Security Council for burning seized drugs.

The prices set as references would have high additional costs compared to the average figure he has been running so far Minsa and CSS between 80 cents and 2.10 dollars per kilogram of waste received.

Now in this tender, CSS has left it open to prices ranging between $5 and $6 per kilogram, depending on the location of the hospital unit. But these figures are nowhere near the price per kilo that CSS is currently paying to a private entrepreneur in Bocas del Toro which is $1.50 per kilo.

“It is a totally absurd document,” said sources connected to the process.