Dennis Mendiola
SENATE President Dennis James C. Mendiola on Thursday issued a memorandum requesting the Senate Public Utilities, Transportation, and Communications Committee chair, Sen. Jude U. Hofschneider, to investigate the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s procurement process.
Mendiola wants the committee to conduct an oversight hearing on the following:
1) Ambiguities on the request for proposal process. “Were there any inconsistencies or lack of clarity within the RFP for a procurement of new generator sets for Saipan and Rota?”
2) RFP cancelation. “What were the specific reasons behind the cancelation of the RFP following the protest?”
3) Procedural standards for CUC’s RFP. “What established procedural standards govern CUC’s RFP process and were they followed appropriately?”
4) Impact on CNMI ratepayers. “How might the cancelation of RFP affect CNMI ratepayers, particularly regarding costs and service delivery?”
Mendiola said his request for the committee oversight was in response to a recent complaint regarding the cancelation of an RFP for two engines for the power plant on Saipan and two engines for the power plant on Rota.
“Given the significance of these issues and their potential impact on public trust and the procurement process, we respectfully request that the PUTC committee undertake a comprehensive oversight investigation,” Mendiola said. “The investigation should aim to clarify the events surrounding this procurement process and assess its ongoing implications for the CNMI, particularly in terms of transparency, accountability and the efficient delivery of essential public services.”
Mendiola said, “The oversight is critical to ensure that CUC’s procurement process is aligned with the best interests of the public, upholds proper accountability, and maintains the integrity of government contracts.”
Variety was unable to get a comment from CUC.
