Even as the new request for qualification document has kicked up a row in the infrastructure sector, a Rs 1,400-crore highway project in Andhra Pradesh has run into rough weather with top-scoring bidders not figuring in the short-list prepared by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Taking note of complaints from some bidders, a two member-committee set up by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has recommended that NHAI take a re-look at the process used for bidding out the project to four-lane the Hyderabad-Vijaywada national highway.

Companies such as Anil Ambani-led Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, Soma Enterprises and Macqaurie Scurrilities Pvt Ltd, had sought clarifications from the government after having failed to make it to the shortlist despite their submissions of a higher experience score.

On its part, NHAI clarified that the main reason for non-qualification of the firms claiming high scores has been non-submission of certain documents certified by statutory auditors.

Further, the experience claimed for the period not related to the prescribed five-year period has not been accounted for. “Similarly, experience claimed for projects that had not been commissioned was not accounted, as per the stipulation in the RFQ,” the NHAI said.

The committee has, however, held that the NHAI carried out the evaluation in a very technical manner. It also said the evaluation has been carried out in a different way compared to seven other projects for which RFQs were issued at the same time. To achieve transparency, NHAI may ask the bidders for clarification on the qualification aspects without allowing submission of additional documents, it said.

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