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Locals not bidding for RDA Contracts—Procurement Boss

RDA’s Deputy Director, Mr Matthew Waterfield, as he reaffiremd RDA's continue committment doing its part to encourage local contractors to be part of the process of the development and recovery of the Territory. Photo: Team of Reporters
Some of the local contractors in attendance. Photo: Team of Reporters
Some of the local contractors in attendance. Photo: Team of Reporters
Head of Procurement at the RDA, Mr John Primo, lamented that, “persons are complaining that there are no opportunities and there are no opportunities in the BVI but there are opportunities.” Photo: Team of Reporters
Head of Procurement at the RDA, Mr John Primo, lamented that, “persons are complaining that there are no opportunities and there are no opportunities in the BVI but there are opportunities.” Photo: Team of Reporters
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - The Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) has in the vicinity of $800M to spend over five-years on the Territory development but local contractors have not been bidding for available projects.

Taken aback by this fact, Head of Procurement at the RDA, Mr John Primo, has since lamented, “persons are complaining that there are no opportunities and there are no opportunities in the BVI but there are opportunities.”

He was adamant, “we are putting out the opportunities....we have small opportunities and we have big ones…there is business here for you to take up.”

Capacity Building

Mr Primo was at the time speaking at capacity building forum yesterday, March 22, 2019, where he scolded local contractors for not formally coming forward to bid but rather are of the habit of informally meeting him on the streets expressing interest.

According to Mr Primo,”...these guys are meeting me on the street every day and asking me what is the RDA doing about this street, what is the RDA doing about that street and so on….But the thing is, why I am very disappointed, is fact that when me and my team, when we put out our tender opportunities, we only receive one tender...Sometimes we don’t receive any...We ask for designs, we just received one response for the designs.”

Complicated 

Several contractors have complained that the processes required to secure bids or even apply are “very long and complicated and requires way too much.”

A claim the RDA has conceded, while noting that it can and will work with the local contractors to uncover the easy and possible routes in the system.

 “We want to help you understand and find easy ways of working,” said the RDA’s Deputy Director, Mr Matthew Waterfield, as he reaffiremd RDA's continue committment doing its part to encourage local contractors to be part of the process of the development and recovery of the Territory.

He used the forum to appeal to the local contractors to, “turn up, find us and come talk to us about opportunities...come and talk to us if you’ve got questions on how to apply and how to access.”

Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1), recently disclosed that his government will be working closely with the RDA, to ensure that projects are given to local contractors.

This, even as the RDA is claiming that the locals are not coming forward.

7 Responses to “Locals not bidding for RDA Contracts—Procurement Boss ”

  • Jessica Jones (23/03/2019, 10:35) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    They meeting him on the stteets? Well these contractors here usually operate undethanded.
  • i from here (23/03/2019, 12:26) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    They have kept locals out
  • cromwell (23/03/2019, 13:03) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Perhaps it's time to but the bids out to International tender, if local contractors are not interested for whatever reason. You seldom see local's working on construction sites anyway, so we are not providing jobs to BVI Islanders, just lining the pockets of a few privileged who are now having to go through a proper bidding process.
  • Challenger (23/03/2019, 13:14) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    it is indeed a very complicated process...even to understand what they ask for in a bid for tender...what they require..it is pages and pages..booklet after booklet...often repeating itself.....need a degree just to understand it...!!
  • Local (23/03/2019, 18:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Time to start helping people get in their homes, especially those who have their own property. need to go through the communities and have meetings about rebuilding. Lets get started
  • wize up (24/03/2019, 03:08) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    when some of us over 60 years meet and chat about today’s BVI we find the current circumstances in the country to be mind blowing: can you only imagine some of us have to go through vigorous application procedures; while others enter this territory good to go: check this out; the so called investor is granted almost everything tax free to establish business in this country; while the little boys from Road Town better have their check books in hand: we Have documented workers in the BVI easily jumping from work place to work place; some even conducting their own personal and private enterprise(tax free)...these are the realties of today’s bvi(no-ting to do with where u are from)


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