TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Goa government on Tuesday finally re-floated tenders for the development, deployment, management and operations of water safety services at designated water bodies in the State amidst indications that the selection would be done sometime in November.
This is the second tender invited this year by the tourism department while seeking to appoint an agency to provide safety cover to Goa’s 105 km coastline and other water bodies frequented by tourists.
The last tender which was floated in May this year was abruptly suspended following writ petitions filed in the High Court challenging the same.
The tourism department has floated fresh tenders Tuesday and the last date for submission of applications through e-tendering is October 28, 2013.
It is expected that Drishti Special Response Services may get another extension as the on-going and third extension will end on October 30.
While the last date for receipt of online applications is October 18 and the last date for issue of online documents is October 21, 2013, a pre-bid conference has been fixed on October 23.
Agencies interested in participating in the bids have been directed to submit their tender documents on October 28.
The date for opening of technical and financial bids has not been fixed.
While the present agency DSRS has been given three extensions due to the inability of the government to complete the tendering processes, it is more than three and a half months since the original five year contract ended on June 15, 2013.
While officials of the tourism department were not available for comment, the million dollar question is why has the government taken so long to complete the tendering processes as far as water safety services are concerned as the tourism season is set to start in October.
While all eyes will be on the fresh tenders for the appointing an agency there is also a keen contest expected for the beach cleaning tenders.
