Fresh call for tenders

The government announced yesterday that it will be issuing a fresh call for tenders for the provision of an IT system for Mater Dei Hospital.

The announcement was made in a statement which was accompanied by a copy of a letter sent by the Prime Minister to the Director of Contracts.

The government said that following court action by the police against some people in connection with the tenders for the Integrated Health Information System at Mater Dei Hospital, the Prime Minister, Lawrence Gonzi, had sought advice from the Attorney General on the implications for the tendering process of the police action.

Dr Gonzi received the AG's advice last Friday: The tendering process had been negatively affected and ought to be cancelled.

The Cabinet yesterday morning agreed that the Prime Minister should inform the Director of Contracts to stop and cancel the whole process.

"This is a testimony of the government's seriousness and responsibility," the government said.

Last week, the Magistrates' court ruled for the indictment of Noel Xuereb, 42, of St Julians, a member on the IT tender adjudication board, for passing on information to Pierre Mercieca, 47, of Attard.

Mr Mercieca was a part-time employee with Inso, a company that formed part of the consortium AME that was awarded the IT contract.

The call for tenders had been issued on January 18, 2006. Two companies - AME and iSoft were the bidders, the court had heard during the compilation of evidence last January 30.

Soon after, most members on the tender adjudication board, including Mr Xuereb, voted for iSoft as the preferred bidder.

But between June and July 2006, site visits were carried out and members of the adjudication board realised that iSoft was not as promising as had seemed on paper.

Then, in September, a report confirmed that iSoft had gone bankrupt and AME was declared preferred bidder, the court heard last month.