Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Service Enterprises (ESLSE) disclosed that it has provided specific and detailed price indications prior to the opening of the 200 metric tons of sugar bid for the Ethiopian Sugar Corporation (ESC).
Prior to this, however, the sugar corporation had extended its bid opening day from the 10th of February to the sixteenth of this month, that is this Wednesday, on the basis of ESLSE’s failure to provide its indicative price to bidders.
As Capital has learned, following the request of the corporation to the shipping enterprise, ESLSE has confirmed that it has provided the necessary clarification to ESC on Saturday, February 12.
According to the information Capital obtained from ESLSE, on Monday, February 14, the enterprise has provided to the corporation its detailed price tag inclusive of considerations of different loading ports with volumes of loading.
Due to the sensitivity and confidentiality of the pricing matter, the rates were directly provided at Weyo Roba’s office, ESC CEO.
“Bidding companies had asked us the price for different volumes of cargo as well as ports of loading. From that basis, we compiled the price tags for every request which biding companies asked for,” Wondwossen Kassa (Chief), Deputy CEO for Shipping Sector at ESLSE said, adding, “however, the price offer has been directly filed to the corporation CEO as opposed to the bidding companies.”
ESLSE had initially criticized the bidding process, stating that it is supposed to be carried out as per the country procurement policy of Freight on Board (FOB). Nonetheless, in the latest sugar bid, it has considered both Cost and Freight, and FOB.
Last week, ESLSE officials said that the price was to be provided to ESC alone, as opposed to bidding companies so as to maintain the integrity of the process which benefits the country and both firms. Moreover, the enterprise officials had remarked that sharing the information with the bidders would not present any benefit whatsoever.
