The terms of the tender have been changed extensively by the National Health Mission. Some unique conditions have been added to the tender for the Emergency Medical Ambulance Service (EMAS) in the state. Because of this, the company running the ambulance can be punished. Also, the company with higher turnover can be selected as the new service provider. These conditions imposed in the tender have been challenged in the High Court. Also, these conditions have been said to be beneficial to a particular company.
A total of 337 emergency medical ambulances are being run in the state to provide medical facilities to the patients. Out of this, 287 ambulances are equipped with basic medical facility and 50 ambulances are equipped with advanced medical facility. Since the year 2015, 39 crore rupees are being spent annually on the ambulance service being run in the state. About seven crores are being spent annually on ambulances.
In the year 2015, a company named M/s Jikitza Health Care of Mumbai was selected to run the ambulance service with the help of tender process. An agreement was signed with this company to run the ambulance service for five years. This company is paid at the rate of Rs 1.11 lakh per month for running an ambulance equipped with basic facilities and Rs 1.13 lakh per month for an ambulance equipped with advanced medical services.
The term of the agreement with the company expired on 15 November 2022. After this, this company was given continuous extension. The Mumbai-based company was directed to continue the ambulance service till the settlement of the new tender on 24 April 2023. The government decided to increase the number of ambulances from 337 to 543 with the aim of improving medical facilities. An e-tender was issued on May 3, 2023, to select a new service provider. In this, the base price for running an ambulance was fixed at Rs 1.35 lakh.
Along with this, the maximum and minimum bid limit was fixed for the participants in the tender. Under this, a provision has been made that the bidder can quote the rate five percent more than the base price or up to five percent only. Apart from this, a condition has been imposed to give one extra mark to the participants of the tender for turnover of more than 28 crores per 4 crores.
Due to these two conditions, the main purpose of the competition in the tender will end. Because no bidder can quote a rate less than five percent. Because of this condition only the bidder who has the highest turnover will be successful in the tender. The company running the ambulance service can be punished with the third condition added to the tender.
According to the agreement signed with this company, the responsibility of replacement of ambulances more than five years will be of the National Health Mission. However, according to the terms of the new tender, in order to hand over the ambulance from the old service provider to the new service provider, the expenses incurred on repairing the ambulance and others will be recovered from the old service provider.
Some unique conditions added to EMAS tender
The maximum and minimum bid limits were fixed for the participants in the tender.
Bidder can quote rate five percent more than the base price or up to five percent only.
A condition has been imposed on the tender participants to give one additional mark for turnover of more than 28 crores per 4 crores turnover.
