ESCCOM NULLIFIES E150M OFFICES PROJECT TENDER

 MBABANE - Back to square one. Bidders will have another chance to bid for the construction of the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM) offices. This follows the nullification of the initial tender process.

In accordance with Article 40 of the Eswatini Public Procurement Regulatory Agency Circular 1/2016, the communications industry regulator, in a statement, confirmed the nullification of the tender for the proposed construction of its head office in Ezulwini.

“The compelling reason for the  nullification was the scope of works of the project, as presented in the request for tender, had been increased beyond what was approved by the ESCCOM Board of Directors for procurement.

Circumstances

“This resulted in the new estimated costs of the project escalating beyond the approved budget and as such to continue with the project, under the circumstances, would be delinquent and acting beyond the scope approved by the Board,” reads a statement from ESCCOM.

ESCCOM did not disclose the figures involved in the project but it was gathered during the turning of the sod that building offices was estimated at over E150 million.

Following the latest developments, the Commission shall start the tendering process afresh. The public and prospective bidders will be alerted on when to submit their tender documents.

Following the unforeseen circumstances, ESCCOM promised to refund all cash deposits made for the purchase of this tender.

Notably,  by last month the Commission had already called for suitably sub-contractors to bid for several services related to the main tender. They include the installation of access control, audio visual and closed circuit television (CCTV) systems. Also invited to tender were sub-contractors for the installation of a fire evacuation system as well as structured cabling, electrical system and elevators in the building.

In a bid to serve the public well, the Commission wants to establish a permanent office that has the requisite facilities and space that would allow regular engagement with the licensees and the public.

ESCCOM is a relatively new and growing regulatory authority. By May this year, had a staff complement of about 40 employees.

Decisions

The full staff complement is projected to be between 60 and 70 employees in the next three to five years.

During the course of 2013/2014 the Board took a conscious decision to acquire land for purposes of building ESCCOM offices. 

The Board specified that the land to be acquired should be easily accessible to all ESCCOM stakeholders, which include the consumers of electronic services, the public at large and the licensees. Subsequently, this site was identified and found to be ideal for the purposes. This site is a 1-hectare sized plot which the Board is confident will be accessible to all who need services of the Commission.

The decision to acquire and build offices was informed by the escalating costs of renting premises. 

After a careful cost analysis, he said, the Board considered that the cost of building ESCCOM offices outweighed the cost of renting.

“For example, the projected costs of the building are far less than the amount of rental the Commission would have paid within a 10 year period. Moreover, the Board envisaged that the building will have lettable floors and thus the Commission would re-coup some funds from rentals.

“Out of the total office space available, 1 426 square metres (over two floors of the building) is available as lettable office space. The offices will provide the Commission with a modern office structure that supports a conducive working environment,” Thembumkhululi Khumalo, who chairs the ESCCOM Board, was quoted saying earlier this year.

Regulators

The building is expected to be completed in December 2022.

ESCCOM was formed after the need for the existence of an independent regulator for the sector was envisaged by government in 2005, through the National Information and Communications Infrastructure Policy (NICI Policy 2005). 

The Eswatini Communications Commission was then established in 2013, through the Eswatini Communications Commission Act, 2013, to regulate the electronic communications, postal services, broadcasting services, data protection and e-commerce and ensure universal service and access to these services.

The Electronic Communications Act specifies that in the regulation of electronic communications, the Commission shall ensure the provision of a wide range of public communications networks and services. 

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