DPWH to require ISO certification from construction firms

Effective 2013, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will require prospective contractors to secure certification that their work is at par with international standards, to prevent substandard public works projects. DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson issued three Department Orders requiring private construction and consultancy firms to secure International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certifications before dealing with the government. "Effective January 01, 2013, the ISO 9000 Certification will be an added requirement in the eligibility screening or prequalification of contractors for the procurement of infrastructure projects costing P100 million up to P300 million," the DPWH said. Contractors will have two years from now to comply with the said requirement, the DPWH said. In his DPWH Department Order No. 49, Singson requires Large "A," Medium "B," and Medium "A" contractors of DPWH projects to seek ISO 9000 certification from a recognized accreditation body. He said this will ensure that the systems and procedures used by said contractors are quality assured and conform with international standards DPWH projects costing P100 million to P300 million require contractors with a size range of Large “A," Medium “B," or Medium “A." Meanwhile, Singson also issued DPWH Department Order No. 51 requiring all construction firms doing business with DPWH to register with the DPWH Civil Works Registry System. This is in line with the RA 9184, the Government Procurement Reform Act, which states that “all eligibility evaluation for the procurement of locally-funded civil works contract to be conducted electronically using the Civil Works Registry (CWR) system regardless of mode of procurement." CWR is a registration system for contractors and determine their eligibility to bid for a project they intend to participate in. It provides a computerized database of contractors to be used for objective, standardized, transparent and efficient processing of interested contractors for DPWH civil works contracts during the eligibility process conforming to existing laws and regulations. "Generally, the registry ensures that only technically and financially capable firms are allowed to submit bids based on the ability of the interested firm to perform the particular work satisfactorily," the DPWH said. Also, to update the contractors profile in the CWR, all contractors are instructed to submit to the DPWH Central Procurement Office the updates on projects implemented in other government agencies and in the private sector. Meanwhile, Singson also issued DPWH Department Order No. 50, requiring two separate consultants to handle detailed engineering and construction supervision of projects. This will serve as a check and balance in project implementation. Consultants who conducted the pre-construction activities including detailed engineering are not allowed to oversee or manage the execution of construction works, Singson said. - TJD, GMA News