Requesting Entity: Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA)

Issues Concern: Exemption from the similar contract requirement under Small A and Small B categories

Details

Whether the exception from the submission of similar contract requirement granted to civil works contractors under Small A and Small B categories also applies to suppliers in the procurement of goods.

Section 23.5.2.5 is an exception from the technical eligibility criteria that prospective contractors must have an experience of having completed at least one (1) contract that is similar to the contract to be bid, and whose value, adjusted to current prices using the National Statistics Office consumer price indices, must be at least fifty percent (50%) of the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to be bid.

[T]he exception refers to prospective bidders registered with the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) under Small A and Small B categories participating in a competitive bidding for Infrastructure projects where the ABC is not more than fifty percent (50%) of the ARCC.

Accordingly, it is clear from the said provision that the exception does not apply in the procurement of goods, but applicable only in the procurement of infrastructure projects.