Zimra tender raises eyebrows

The State Procurement Board has come under fire from losing bidders of a $2 million security tender for allegedly awarding the tender to two companies owned by one person.

Trust Me Security and Tragic Security, which are linked to Mr Trustmore Dzinoruma, were awarded the tender to provide security services at more than 21 Zimra stations countrywide.

Authority to provide security at five other Zimra stations was given to Kadison Security.

The winning bidders were reportedly among firms that had the highest charges, but the SPB proceeded to award them the tender.

Some of the companies that were bidding for the same services have since written to the SPB complaining about the manner in which Tender No. ZIMRA 8/2013 was handled.

SPB chairman Mr Charles Kuwaza yesterday said everything was done above board and records of the proceedings were in order.

He said the companies, as required by the law, met the specifications and were the lowest bidders.

"You say the tender was awarded on the pretext that they were the lowest tender bidders, that is not a pretext, it is a requirement of the law that tenders be awarded to the lowest bidder for specification," he said.

"Section 11 of the Procurement Regulations requires that: "Tender documents shall be subject to the following conditions or be accompanied by the following information as the case may be - (a) the lowest evaluated tender to specification shall be accepted. Please see the principal officer Mr (Cledwin) Nyanhete who will show you in confidence the record of proceedings for this tender."

The tender awarded through PBR 1648 of December 19 2013 gave Trust Me and Tragic Security companies the authority to provide security at the Zimra head office in Harare, Beitbridge, Nyamapanda, Chirundu, Chinhoyi, Mukumbura, Masvingo, Gweru, Zvishavane, Kadoma, Chiredzi and Mutare.

Other areas were Sango, Forbes, Rusape, Mt Selinda, Kwekwe and Kanyemba.

The lots awarded to the two companies are worth $1 997 862, 60 annually, while Kadison Security will get $572 274, 72.

In a letter copied to Mr Nyanhete and Zimra commissioner general Mr Gershom Pasi, one of the bidding companies said the tender was handled "erroneously."

The company claimed that no supplier visits were done and that Zimra and SPB officials were bribed.

"It is surprising to note that you awarded four lots out of five of the same tender to two companies owned by one individual called Trustmore Dzinoruma who is the owner of both Tragic and Trust Me Security," read the letter.

"Tragic and Trust Me Security are just two different names operating under the same offices, we wonder if any supplier visits or surveys were done."

The company said the tender document stated that compliant bidders were to be limited to not more than two lots.

Mr Dzinoruma said he won the tender procedurally, adding that he only owned one company with the second belonging to his sister.

"I only own Trust Me Security and Tragic is owned by my sister," he said.

"You cannot expect anything positive from a losing bidder. If they are complaining or not satisfied they can approach the courts. All I can say is the tender was handled by the SPB and I refer you to them for clarifications."

The letter also alleged that Trust Me was providing security services to all Rainbow Tourism Group and Zim-Sun hotels and Telecel Zimbabwe countrywide.

This is not the first time tenders raised to Trust Me Security have raise eyebrows.

In 2010, the company was embroiled in another scandal after Zesa Holdings awarded a $1 million tender to the company ahead of 18 other companies that had tendered their bids.

That same year, a Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe tender was declared null and void by the court after losing bidders contested the awarding of the tender to Trust Me Security.

The court ruled that there were serious shortcomings in the way the SPB had handled the tender and a new tender was floated.