A.P. Fibernet contract bidding done in violation of norms: YSRCP MLA

‘Terrasoft consortium failed to meet the conditions on all counts’

The A.P. Fibernet contract was awarded to the Terrasoft consortium violating all set norms of bidding, Darsi MLA Maddisetty Venugopal has alleged.

Speaking to the media at the party central office here on Tuesday, the MLA who lost the bid, gave a blow by blow account of how the bidding process was ‘rigged in a predetermined manner’.

He said the Terrasoft consortium comprising Terra Soft, Himachal Futuristic Communications Limited and Horizon Broadcast LLP, was declared the L1 (lowest bidder), while his company PACE Power Systems Private Limited was named L2 in advance.

“The Terrasoft consortium failed to meet the conditions on all counts. The bidding process was in violation of the general conditions as Horizon, one of the three bidders in the consortium, is not a registered company but an LLP. The financial conditions were not met as its capital was way less than what was prescribed and the technical terms were breached as it had no experience of the optic cable work in India,” the MLA said.

‘Company blacklisted’

“The Terrasoft was blacklisted for a year by the Andhra Pradesh Technology Services Limited (APTS) and it was lifted after two months. The letter was issued by a non-competent authority,” Mr. Venugopal alleged.

The MLA said that the documents pertaining to the bidders related to tenders were not available online till the L1 and the L2 were finalised and added that he had given a complaint to the Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh State Financial Corporation (APSFC) on these irregularities.

‘Fake experience certificate’

He further alleged that the Terrasoft had obtained a fake experience certificate of the Signum Digital Network regarding the supply and installation of digital head-end, adding that they had violated many terms of the contract.

The APSFCL had called four tenders worth ₹2,700 crore related to the set-up boxes, CC cameras, BharatNet Phase-2, Mr. Venugopal said.

He urged Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to investigate the irregularities occurred during these tendering process.