Article: QR staff shouted junket, lunches by winning tenderer

[ozbob]

My only comment is that there is always two sides to the story ...  (see post below).

From Courier Mail click here!

QR staff shouted junket, lunches by winning tenderer

QR staff shouted junket, lunches by winning tenderer
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Steven Wardill

October 06, 2008 11:00pm

SENIOR Queensland Rail staff were shouted a boozy lunch and overseas junket by a firm that won a major contract after the tender process was circumvented.
The Courier-Mail has learned five QR staff spent an afternoon at the Story Bridge Hotel last year courtesy of winning tenderer Geutebruck Pacific.

A staff contractor involved in the multimillion-dollar tender decision was also gifted a week-long trip to a trade show in Germany by Geutebruck after which he tacked on a family holiday.

The lucrative contract was for a new digital closed-circuit TV software system. It allowed QR officers and police to view live images from thousands of cameras at southeast Queensland train stations from QR's Bowen Hills headquarters.

Tender documents obtained by The Courier-Mail show the technology from each of the companies short-listed for the contract was supposed to undergo on-site trial testing.

"Selected respondents will be short-listed to provide proof of concept of their tender offer," the document stated.

"This proof of concept will include an evaluation test where the offered equipment will be used for bench testing."

QR scrapped site testing outlined in the tender documents without explanation tobidders and opted for Geutebruck.

QR chief executive officer Lance Hockridge yesterday confirmed the August 1 lunch, saying it was attended by four QR contractors and an employee who took accrued time off for the afternoon.

"I am advised this was a business function where no QR expense was incurred," he said.

Mr Hockridge defended the integrity of the tender process, saying the site test was only an "option" and Geutebruck was at least 30 per cent cheaper than its rivals.

"The tender process was extremely thorough and well documented," he said.

However sources close to the tender process claimed QR officers were now experiencing an array of problems with the new system, hampering their ability to track suspect passengers.

"I can tell you no one is watching because it's useless," one source said.

Mr Hockridge denied the claim, saying the new system was proving "highly reliable".

"This project has significantly improved security surveillance with better images and coverage across the Citytrain network," he said.

Geutebruck chief executive Alan Johnson could not be contacted.

[ozbob]

From  Courier Mail blog click here!

This is QR's media statement today. Mark Hairsine , Manager QR Corporate Affairs.

This is QR's media statement today. Mark Hairsine , Manager QR Corporate Affairs.

The tender process for a project to upgrade the CCTV network for Citytrain was extremely thorough and will withstand any scrutiny, QR's CEO Lance Hockridge said today. The winning tenders system was performing particularly well, was delivered on time and was 30% cheaper than the next best option. This project has improved security surveillance with better images and coverage across the Citytrain network. It will assist in preventing crime and anti-social behaviour as well as evidence for police prosecutions.

These allegations are anonymous and untested and as we advised the Courier Mail are simply wrong. The documents quoted in today's paper are but one piece of the extensive documentation for the tender process, he said.  is clear upon any fair examination of the documents, there was no compulsion to test all of short listed companies - it was an option which is standard in tenders. The winning company, Guetebruck Pacific was clearly leading the short listing process and after two weeks intensive on-site testing there was no requirement to test any other respondent. The tender was awarded more than a year ago in May 2007 and the luncheon that occurred on 1 August 2008 was to mark a milestone in the project.

The allegations of an overseas trip by a QR employee sponsored by the supplier were also wrong. This person is not an employee of QR. He is a private contactor.

[mufreight]

Would one be accused of being cynical if one suggested that at least one senior QR staffer has just been rewarded for influincing the outcome of deciding who gets a contract, perhaps it would be proper for the CMC to conduct an investigation in to the letting of this contract.