Monrovia – A neighborhood firm, ABK Integrated, has formally protested the Ministry of Public Works’ resolution to reject its multimillion-dollar bid for the provision of earthmoving tools and utility vans, describing the motion as questionable and inconsistent with the Ministry’s personal analysis findings.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
In a letter dated August 27, 2025, and signed by Public Works Minister Roland Layfette Giddings, the Ministry knowledgeable ABK that its bid submission “met the entire qualification necessities and specs” as outlined within the bidding paperwork.
Nonetheless, the letter went on to declare the corporate’s monetary proposal “not passable” and “not responsive” to the Authorities of Liberia’s pre-financing plan — a justification the agency says lacks benefit.
“That is to inform you that your bid submitted June 30, 2025, for the provision and supply of Two Hundred Eighty-5 (285) Earthmoving Gear and Twenty (20) Utility Pickup Vans underneath IFB No. MPW/NRF/G/PROJ/RB/00/25 with a bid worth of Twenty-5 Million Two Hundred Thirty-Seven Thousand One Hundred Twenty United States {Dollars} (US$25,237,120.00) met the entire qualification necessities and specs required by the Ministry of Public Works as outlined within the bidding doc. Nonetheless, your Monetary Proposal (Phrases of Cost) isn’t passable to the Authorities of Liberia,” the letter said.
The letter additional famous that ABK’s bid was deemed “Not Responsive” to the federal government’s pre-financing plan “in keeping with the Advert-hoc Bids Analysis Panel and authorized by the Street Upkeep Committee and the Public Procurement and Concessions Fee (PPCC) respectively.”
In response, ABK lodged a proper grievance, invoking Part 125 of the PPCC Act, which permits aggrieved bidders to hunt an administrative assessment of procurement choices.
“We hereby lodge a grievance underneath PPCC Act Part 125 concerning the rejection letter we acquired on September 15, 2025, dated August 27, 2025, which states that our bid ‘met all qualification necessities and specs’ however was deemed ‘not responsive’ as a result of the Monetary Proposal (Phrases of Cost) was ‘not passable’ and ‘not attentive to the Authorities’s pre-financing plan,’” the corporate’s administration wrote.
ABK added: “We acknowledge receipt of the outcomes of the above procurement package deal, referenced as follows. Now we have our attributed details and circumstances surrounding the unfair analysis course of and the failings throughout the bidding means of the above package deal.”
The corporate additional contended that its bid contained no materials deviation from the said necessities, arguing that the rejection misapplied Part 62(9) of the PPCC Act.
ABK maintained that it possesses the monetary capability to pre-finance 100% of the contract inside 4 months, pledging adherence to all phrases and situations outlined within the Native Buy Order and Particular Contract Circumstances.
The corporate listed US$20,575,000 in whole property and outlined its sources of funding:
- US$10 million as revenue,
- US$10 million as a financial institution letter of credit score, and
- US$575,000 in actual property and transportation property.
The United Financial institution for Africa (UBA) additionally confirmed ABK’s monetary standing, forwarding a credit score letter to the Ministry of Public Works verifying that ABK maintains lively company accounts with the financial institution.
“We want to suggest Messrs. ABK Integrated for any legally appropriate partnership enterprise that you could be intend to undertake as a result of the corporate has confirmed to be financially viable, dependable, and sincere since inception of operations with the United Financial institution for Africa (Liberia) Restricted,” UBA wrote.
“We affirm our willingness to assist credit score/financing construction requests from the corporate in extra of US$20,000,000, topic to satisfying the financial institution’s credit score coverage necessities, for the provision and supply of 285 Earthmoving Gear and 20 Utility Pickup Vans underneath IFB No. MPW/NRF/G/PROJ/RB/001/2025.”
Controversy Over PPCC Chief’s Function in China Journey
The dispute has reignited debate over transparency and accountability in Liberia’s main procurement processes — particularly amid considerations surrounding the China journey involving Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung and PPCC Government Director Bodger Scott Johnson.
Some critics have instructed that the journey might affect procurement-related choices tied to the “Yellow Machines” undertaking.
In response to public hypothesis, Mr. Johnson clarified that his participation within the journey was purely observational, insisting that the PPCC’s function stays impartial and procedural.
“Our function is strictly to watch and guarantee compliance with the PPCC Act. We don’t award, reject, or affect contracts — that’s the duty of the procuring entity,” Johnson stated on the Ministry of Info’s common press briefing.
Nonetheless, a FrontPage Africa authorized assessment and consultations with procurement consultants recommend that Mr. Johnson’s presence on the journey breached the Public Procurement and Concessions Act (PPCA). Consultants argued that the PPCC Government Director had no authorized or moral grounds to accompany a delegation concerned in procurement-related actions, as this compromises the Fee’s independence and oversight function.
The Yellow Machines Saga Deepens
The newest twist within the “Yellow Machines” saga provides to a sample of inconsistencies which have marred the method since its inception.
The controversy dates again to Might 2024, when a US$79 million proposal for the acquisition of apparatus was launched by Minister of State With out Portfolio Mamaka Bility. The proposal drew sharp criticism from lawmakers, civil society teams, and anti-corruption advocates, who cited lack of legislative approval, transparency considerations, and inflated prices.
Following widespread backlash, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai tasked Vice President Jeremiah Koung to renegotiate the deal. Koung later introduced that the associated fee had been diminished to US$22 million, payable over three years, and promised a extra clear course of.
“This can be a important discount in the price of buying these machines,” Koung stated throughout a city corridor assembly in america. “We’re dedicated to transparency, fiscal duty, and making certain that each county advantages.”
However the Vice President’s journey to China in June this yr reignited skepticism. In response to sources, the go to was described as a technical inspection to confirm the standard of the tools and assess producers’ capabilities.
Critics argue, nevertheless, that if the deal had already been finalized, such an inspection would have been pointless — elevating questions on whether or not the federal government is making an attempt to legitimize an incomplete or flawed course of.
Observers say the newest growth means that the Yellow Machines deal stays unsettled, regardless of earlier assurances. Some lawmakers and civil society actors are actually calling on the Legislature to summon the related establishments to offer updates on the acquisition course of as soon as lawmakers return from their constituency break.
