Assam: AIIMS Guwahati tender sparks outrage; patient safety at risk amid alleged bias in procurement process
Guwahati: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Guwahati has come under scrutiny for its recent tender process for purchase of a Pneumatic Tube System (PTS).
The tender, originally floated on the Government e-Marketplace (GEM) portal in November, 2023, has raised concerns about favoritism towards a specific manufacturer.
The AIIMS, Guwahati authorities have been accused of being biased towards a single manufacturer, potentially compromising quality, competition, and patient safety.
The controversy began when the initial tender (GEM/2023/B/4259957, dated November 29, 2023) issued by the administrative officer, AIIMS, Guwahati raised eyebrows due to its seemingly biased specifications that favored only one particular manufacturer, sources said.
According to a source, despite the availability of multiple qualified manufacturers with proven track records in other AIIMS institutions were seemingly excluded.
Additionally, the pre-qualification criteria were reportedly adjusted to accommodate inexperienced bidders quoting for the preferred brand.
Critics argue that the pre-qualification process was diluted, going against the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) guidelines, to favor two pharmaceutical companies—M/S New Bluebell Pharma and Vikash Pharmaceuticals--with no prior experience in the domain.
The tender mandated physical demonstrations despite the impracticality of showcasing a PTS outside of a hospital setting. While bidders resorted to video presentations, only physical demonstrations were accepted, further limiting competition.
Notably, the requirement was waived for bidders who had previously demonstrated the same unit, potentially benefiting a specific company.
“A physical demonstration is a seemingly impractical requirement for Pneumatic Tube Systems, as they can only be demonstrated at hospital sites where they are installed,” said a source.
Numerous prospective bidders raised objections, filing representations against the biased specifications and terms.
Despite these concerns, their bids were rejected, leading to the cancellation of the initial tender. Subsequently, a fresh tender (GEM/2024/B/4476091, dated 13 January, 2024) was issued without a pre-bid meeting, maintaining the controversial specifications and terms that seemed to favor only one particular manufacturer.
The new tender issued in January 2024 also mandates physical demonstrations, excluding video presentations.
Questions have been raised about how one Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) managed to issue two authorization letters.
The entire procurement process has come under fire for potentially compromising the quality of the product and installations, which could pose serious risks to hospital staff and patients.
Critics argue that limiting competition in this manner may result in exorbitant costs to the exchequer without ensuring the best value for money.
As the controversy unfolds, various stakeholders are demanding a thorough investigation into the procurement process to ensure transparency, fairness, and the best interests of AIIMS Guwahati and the public it serves.
AIIMS Guwahati has yet to respond to our requests for clarification. We sent an email to the institute's administrative officer on January 3 inquiring about the allegations, but have not received a response as of now.
Northeast Now will continue to seek comment from the institute and update this story accordingly.