By IANS,
New Delhi : India has cancelled a tender for purchasing 180 Howitzer guns for the third time in 10 years, parliament was informed Wednesday.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony told the Lok Sabha that the Request For Proposal (RFP) to procure the self-propelled (wheeled) 155 mm/52 calibre guns for the army was first issued in February 2002 to 11 firms.
Only five companies responded, and one qualified for the technical evaluation, the minister said. “The PFP was retracted, however, due to procedural infirmities.”
A RFP was issued for a second time in February 2007 to 29 firms but only two responded. After one offer was rejected due to procedural deficiency, it left only a single vendor in the fray.
The minister said the proposal was issued for a third time in February 2008 but neither of two firms which responded could meet the parameters. The last cancellation took place in 2012, he said.