DDDA bought more excavators for the army for a lower price after changing tender conditions

After reviewing the tender requirements, the Defense Procurement Agency ordered 130 backhoe loaders for UAH 416.52 million. This is four machines more than in the previous purchase in June, while the total cost of the new contracts turned out to be about UAH 61 million lower.

This was reported by "Nashi Groshi" following the results of bidding in the Prozorro system.

Under contracts concluded on September 25, LLC "TSK "Alfatech" is to supply 30 Bobcat B730M excavators at a price of UAH 3.35-3.49 million per unit. Another 100 JCB 3CX machines were ordered from LLC "Compressors International" at UAH 3.47-3.49 million.

For comparison, in June, the DPA purchased 126 JCB 3CX excavators from "Construction Machinery" at UAH 3.79 million per unit. The total contract amount then was UAH 477.52 million. Thus, in the new purchase, the same JCB model became cheaper by about UAH 300,000 per machine.

The difference arose after a change in technical requirements. In the June tender, the documentation explicitly specified the JCB 3CX model, and participants with cheaper Bobcat and Caterpillar were rejected. The DPA explained at the time that it was purchasing equipment in accordance with the characteristics determined by the Logistics Forces Command.

During the new bidding, the specific reference to JCB was removed, as was the requirement for a code under the military equipment classifier. The list of technical characteristics was also reduced: in particular, the khaki color and weapon storage were no longer required, and the minimum digging depth was reduced from five to three meters.

At the same time, a 24-month warranty was added, along with requirements for the equipment to operate at low temperatures and off-road. As a result, the Bobcat B730M, which was not allowed into the previous purchase, won three lots this time.

Separately, the DPA may purchase another 30 Case 570SV excavators for approximately UAH 93 million. At the time of publication, the relevant contract with the supplier had not yet been signed.

Based on materials from: "Nashi Groshi"