24.5 Billion KRW Project for Installing 6 Units... Bidding Underway
Complaints of 'Unfair Bidding' Flood Jeju Provincial Government Website
Official: "Selection Is Fair and Transparent... Concerned About Misunderstandings in the Community"
There is controversy as complaint posts alleging problems in the bidding process for deodorizer installation at sewage treatment plant pump stations, promoted by the Jeju Province Water and Sewage Headquarters, are being continuously posted on the Jeju Provincial Government website.
The main content is that there are many issues with overheated competition among companies and the fairness of the bidding process.
According to the Jeju Province Water and Sewage Headquarters on the 3rd, the 'Jeju Public Sewage Installation Project' is currently underway to install deodorizers at the Western Public Sewage Treatment Facility and five relay pump stations.
With a project budget of 2.45 billion KRW, the plan is to install one deodorizer each at the Western Public Sewage Treatment Facility and the Gonae, Aewol, Gwakji, Geumseong, and Hansu relay pump stations, totaling six units, and the selection of companies is in progress.
However, since the 23rd of last month, posts raising suspicions about the project have been appearing on the 'Wishes for Jeju Autonomous Province' bulletin board on the Jeju Provincial Government website.
Starting with the complaint titled 'Suspicious Selection of Deodorizer by Jeju Province Water and Sewage Headquarters,' a total of five complaint posts have been posted, including 'Suspicion over the selection of non-excavation companies by officials amid noise about the Water and Sewage Headquarters deodorizer,' and 'Deodorizer selection for relay pump stations and Western Public Sewage Treatment Facility proceeding in a strange manner.'
Unlike typical complaint posts, the public complaint posts about the deodorizer bidding controversy have attracted local community attention, with a combined view count exceeding 1,000.
The posts raise suspicions, stating, "There are stories that a deal has already been made between certain forces claiming to be close aides of the governor and high-ranking sewage officials, keeping a specific company in mind."
Also, a post by someone identifying themselves as a non-excavation sewage construction company states, "The official mentioned in the tip-off related to deodorizer selection is the same official who conducted the technical proposal evaluation for non-excavation in Seogwipo, which has been subject to much noise." Another complaint post says, "Issuing a notice for the review committee before the on-site explanation, which has no precedent in other cities or provinces, raises suspicion that information is being given in advance to a specific company."
The Jeju Province Water and Sewage Headquarters strongly denies these allegations.
A representative of the Jeju Province Water and Sewage Headquarters said, "Since October last year, our headquarters has been selecting companies through a transparent and fair process via the Construction Materials Selection Committee, and everything is proceeding normally," adding, "If such smear allegations are reported, it may cause misunderstandings in the local community, and we know who is behind these actions."
Jeju = Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Changwon yjm3070@asiae.co.kr
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