-tender board had rejected proposal for sole-sourcing
Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence yesterday attempted to explain the controversial award of a $367 million contract for emergency drugs to New York-based supplier HDM Labs Inc. last year, raising more questions about the deal, including why the company was told it had been awarded the contract months before the national tender board’s recommendation.
Contrary to recent press reports, including by Stabroek News, Lawrence said in a statement that the contract was awarded to HDM Labs Inc. after it was the lone bidder among six companies in a restrictive tendering process but a representative for one of the other companies yesterday told Stabroek News it was not aware of any request to participate. Additionally, Lawrence, who maintained that “all the relevant procedures were properly followed,” did not mention that prior to the award the Public Health Ministry attempted to single source the drugs from HDM Labs Inc. and had informed the company at that time that it had secured the contract.