Tender documents published by the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) reveal a clause that would require the successful contractor to cover all costs for four WAF personnel to travel overseas to witness factory acceptance testing of purchased pumps — a provision that has prompted unease among local suppliers and questions about procurement propriety.
The documents, released as part of a live tender process, specify the contractor must pay for visa applications, return airfares and accommodation of at least three‑star standard for a minimum of 10 working days, excluding travel time. The tender seeks the purchase of about 100 submersible sewer pumps from a named manufacturer, and the paperwork also requires WAF staff to visit manufacturer sites and facilities to observe how the pumps operate.
It is not clear from the tender documents whether the overseas visit would take place before or after the contract is awarded. WAF told The Fiji Times it could not comment on tender‑specific matters while the evaluation process is under way, saying that position is intended to preserve “the integrity, fairness, and propriety of the procurement process.” In a separate statement the authority added that its procurement requirements are “guided by principles of sound governance, due diligence, and quality assurance,” and that such requirements “are aligned with standard industry practice” to ensure procured assets are fit for purpose.
The travel stipulation has raised alarm among some local industry figures. A representative of an unnamed Fijian company familiar with pump tenders described the requirement as problematic. “Why should a contractor pay for such a trip that is related to a tender?” the person asked, arguing the arrangement could act as an inducement for WAF staff to act favourably toward the successful bidder in future tenders. “I have been in this business long enough to know this looks like a paid junket for WAF staff to sign off any future contracts for the successful company that no doubt will run into the millions,” the source said.
WAF’s insistence on factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site visits was framed in its statement as part of due diligence on critical operational equipment. The authority emphasised that FAT and inspections are intended to verify that technical, performance and quality standards are met before assets are accepted into service. However, the instruction that the contractor must underwrite the travel and living costs for WAF observers sets this procurement apart from some public‑sector tenders, where buyer‑funded verification or alternative assurance mechanisms are sometimes used to avoid perceptions of conflict of interest.
Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau was approached for comment on the travel requirement and its procurement implications but did not respond to questions sent to him. For now, the tender remains live and subject to evaluation; bidders and observers will be watching whether WAF proceeds with the overseas inspection clause as written, or clarifies the timing and funding of any factory visits as the procurement moves forward.