Bidding of P3.85B project for new plate numbers moved anew

The bidding of a P3.85-million contract for the production and supply of new plate numbers for motor vehicles and motorcycles over the next five years has been postponed anew. According to General Bid Bulletin 014-2013, the deadline for submission of bids for the Land Transportation Office's Motor Vehicle Plate Standardization Program has been moved from April 22 to May 6 to give interested parties more time. “Please be notified that the deadline for submission and opening of bids which was earlier scheduled on April 22 has been moved to May 6,” said Transportation Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla Lotilla in the bulletin. It was the fourth time the project has been delayed. The original schedule under the invitation to bid was March 12, but it was moved to March 22, then to April 8 and then to April 22. Companies that have inquired about the project included the joint venture between Datarail Corp. and Industrias Samar’t SA, Marianing & Sons Development Corp., Kolonwel Trading, UTSCH Inc., and J. Knieriem BV. Under the LTO Motor Vehicle Plate Standardization Program, the winning bidders would have to supply and deliver all motor vehicle and motorcycle plates including screws and stickers to the LTO for a period of five years starting July this year up to June 2018. The standardization of license plates for motor vehicles and motorcycles is expected to help address the difficulty in prompt identification of counterfeit plates, use of dilapidated plates, and the common practice of non-replacement of lost plates. It is also expected to address the unreliable motor vehicle database system and concerns on national security and crime.  — KBK, GMA News