Boost for Fire Service

Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sport, Portia Simpson Miller has said that the first batch of eight fire trucks for the Jamaica Fire Brigade should arrive in the island within eight months of the signing of the contract with Rosenbauer America LLC.

A date is to be set for the signing of the US$9.2 million contract, which will see the provision of 33 new vehicles for the fire service.

Cabinet approved the award on Monday (July 25).

Mrs. Simpson Miller was making a statement on the award in the House of Representatives yesterday (July 27), said the package, which is being financed through loan funds and the government of Jamaica, includes contractual obligations from Rosenbauer for the provision of four water tenders, four foam tenders, and 25 pumpers, inclusive of all equipment, tools and service maintenance for five years.

“Jamaica does not embrace a culture of maintenance.therefore I insisted that one of the criteria to be included in the tender documents is a maintenance package,” Mrs. Simpson Miller told the House.

Providing details on the process of awarding the contract, the Minister said it was important to note that only one of the five tenderers was “responsive” to the pre-qualification and evaluation process, which required the companies to meet the criteria of the 11 sub-factors stated in the tender documents.

She said the reasons for not pre-qualifying the other four tenders included, “failure to meet the historical financial performance, submission of incomplete information, while one of the tenders was not invited to participate in the limited tender opportunity and therefore could not be considered”.

She informed that the sole tenderer was then subjected to “a further quality cost evaluation methodology”.

The Minister pointed out that, “Rosenbauer America and its local agents, National Safety have had a favourable working relationship with the Jamaica Fire Brigade over the years. In addition, we have purchased a number of vehicles from them in the past”.

She noted that while a lot more needed to be done to rehabilitate the fire service, “this was a start and although it may seem like there was a lengthy delay in the procurement process, the government was abiding by the regulations and working with the relevant agencies on the executing exercise”.

Some Opposition members raised concern that the vehicles were left hand drive and may be at a disadvantage, particularly in overtaking situations and suggested that they be adjusted to right hand drives.

Minister Simpson Miller said this recommendation would have to be submitted to the technical team and that it should be borne in mind that this would present further delays in the delivery of the vehicles.