Section I. Request for Expression of Interest

PROCUREMENT OF A THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATION BODY SERVICES FOR ISO 9001:2015 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (QMS) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE – CENTRAL OFFICE (DA-CO)

1. The Department of Agriculture – Central Office (DA-CO), General Appropriations Act CY2024 intends to apply the sum of Pesos: One Million Five Hundred Thousand (PhP1,500,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Procurement of a Third-Party Certification Body Services for ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) of the Department of Agriculture – Central Office (DA-CO). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of the financial proposals.
2. The Department of Agriculture – Central Office now calls for the submission of Expression of Interest (EOI) and eligibility requirements for Procurement of a Third-Party Certification Body Services for ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) of the Department of Agriculture – Central Office. Eligibility documents of interested consultants must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat on or before 26 March 2024 at 9:30AM at the DA-ICTS Conference Room. The opening of eligibility requirements is scheduled on the same date at 10:00AM at the same venue at Procurement Division/DA-ICTS Director’s Conference Room, DA Compound, Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City. Applications for eligibility will be evaluated based on a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion.
3. Interested bidders may obtain further information from Procurement Division, DA-CO and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during 9:00AM – 5:00PM, Monday to Friday, before the opening of eligibility requirements, scheduled on 26 March 2024.

4. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 15 March 2024 – 26 March 2024 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (PhP5,000.00). The Procuring Entity shall allow the bidder to present its proof of payment for the fees in person.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Modernized Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (MPhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

5. The BAC shall draw up the short list of consultants from those who have submitted Expression of Interest, including the eligibility documents, and have been determined as eligible in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).  The short list shall consist of at least three (3) prospective bidders who will be entitled to submit bids. The criteria and rating system for short listing are:

*Details are indicated in the Terms of Reference

      *Note: Passing score required in the shortlisting is Seventy-Five (75) Points

6. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules of Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, cooperatives, and partnerships or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

7. The Procuring Entity shall evaluate bids using the Quality Based Evaluation (QBE) procedure. The criteria and rating system for the evaluation of bids shall be provided in the Instructions to Bidders.
8. The contract shall be completed within a period of Seven (7) Months reckoned from the receipt of Notice to Proceed (NTP).
9. Bidder shall bear all costs associated with the preparation and submission of their bids, and the DA – Central Office will in no case, be responsible or liable for those costs, regardless of the conduct or outcome of the bidding process.

Bidders should note that the DA – Central Office will accept bids only from those that have paid the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents.

The DA – Central Office assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids.

10. The Department of Agriculture – Central Office reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.
11. For further information, please refer to:

Attention: Procurement Division

2^nd Floor, DA-New Building

Department of Agriculture – Central Office

Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City

E-mail Address: da.procdiv@mail.da.gov.ph.

Telefax No.: 8927-7152

12. For downloading of Bidding Documents: www.philgeps.gov.ph and www.da.gov.ph.

NOTE: DA DOES NOT CONDONE ANY FORM OF SOLICITATION ON ANY PROSPECTIVE, WINNING AND LOSING BIDDERS BY ANY OF OUR STAFF/EMPLOYEES OR ANY OTHER PARTY. ANY SORT OF THIS KIND SHALL BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY TO THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OR THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (NBI) FOR ENTRAPMENT AND PROPER INVESTIGATION.

15 March 2024                                                                         

Original Signed

PAZ J. BENAVIDEZ II

Assistant Secretary for Regulations

    Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) - 2