By HENRY EMPEÑO | May 4, 2026

MARIVELES, Bataan — The Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) has invited bidders for the Phase 1 development of a golf course project with an approved contract budget of P30 million.

According to an invitation to bid posted on April 28, the project will involve the design, project management, and build of a driving range facility with clubhouse under a contract period of 300 calendar days.

AFAB will award the project to the bidder with the lowest calculated and responsive bid, the announcement added.

The Freeport authority has set the deadline for submission of bids on May 20, 2026. Bids should be received by 9:30 a.m. that day at the AFAB Procurement Management Division, AFAB Administration Building here.

Opening of the bids will start at 10:00 a.m., May 20, at the AFAB Audiovisual Room 3, also at the AFAB Administration Building.

AFAB indicated that the bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion, as specified in the 2025 implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 12009, or the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA).

The mandatory “pass/fail” preliminary examination evaluates if the documents submitted by a bidder are present, complete, and sufficient. A bid is marked “passed” if all required documents are submitted, or “failed” if any are missing or insufficient.

The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) thereafter will verify legal, financial, and technical documents to determine the bidder’s eligibility at the opening of the bids.

AFAB said the bidding is open to all interested parties, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions of eligibility under RA 12009.

Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the project, as indicated in the bidding documents. The completed similar projects that will be considered include design and build projects for facility or commercial buildings, AFAB added.

AFAB clarified that bids in excess of the approved budget contract for each lot shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

To ensure fair and competitive bid comparison, AFAB also required all bidders to include the cost of all taxes, such as the 12% value added tax, income tax, local taxes, and other fiscal levies and duties, which shall be itemized in the bid form and reflected in the price schedule.

“Such bids, including said taxes, shall be the basis for bid evaluation and comparison,” AFAB said. ▲