- I Paid A Bribe
- 13 years ago
- 711 views
Tender Process subverted
This was not a bribe. A purchase officer in the Government Department subverted the tender process and got his agent inside information to bid for the tender.
I was sitting in the waiting hall of the Defence factory to attend the Tender bidding for a high tech equipment to be fitted in the Battle Tank. The tender was very specific and only authorized vendors were invited for supply and maintenance of the equipment which had to be of military grade certification. My company was the only authorized vendor in India.
An attender asked me to enter the meeting room. I entered and an official on the dias asked me to introduce myself and noted the specifications, price, discounts and other details. Accordingly I did so. He then asked me to wait in the waiting room outside.
After another fifteen minutes I was asked to enter the hall again. This time there was a panel of officers and I was subjected to questions on the technical aspects of the equipment and price.
As I was exiting the hall another person entered and I was told introduced himself as an agent who could procure the same equipment at a price slightlu lower than what my company had quoted.
Fortunately this agent was disqualified and the tender was awarded to us. But I was shocked as how a Military organization could blatantly manipulate a tendering process.