[Photo: FILE]

Former Fiji Procurement Office (FPO) Social Cluster Head Maire Wise has told the Suva High Court that Hospineer was not among the suppliers recommended by the tender evaluation committee, as the trial involving Neil Sharma, Voreqe Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum continued today.

Wise gave detailed evidence on government procurement procedures, waivers, and tender withdrawal processes under cross-examination by State lawyer Laisani Tabuakuro.

She told the court she was initially unaware that the then Health Minister had directly written to the then Finance Minister seeking a procurement waiver, but later confirmed she learned a waiver had already been granted while she was serving on the Tender Evaluation Committee.

The court heard that once a waiver is approved, the Fiji Procurement Office issues withdrawal notices to bidders and formally closes the tender process. Wise confirmed she prepared multiple withdrawal letters related to Tender 66.

She stressed that procurement processes are governed by strict principles of transparency, accountability and confidentiality, noting that confidentiality is essential to protect bidders and maintain trust in the system.

Wise also told the court that altering technical specifications mid-process would be unfair to suppliers who had already submitted bids based on original requirements.

She confirmed procurement documents must be stamped and signed to show they have formally passed through the Fiji Procurement Office, adding that unstamped documents indicate they were not processed through official channels.

The court heard the original Tender Evaluation Committee had recommended Interlab, Eboss and Medica Pasifika. Hospineer, however, was excluded at that stage after failing to meet technical specifications for rural laboratory use, including concerns over machine size and air-conditioning requirements.

Wise said the Ministry of Health did not initially provide adequate justification or supporting documentation explaining why Hospineer should replace the committee’s recommended suppliers, as required under procurement rules for waiver applications.

She further told the court that while Hospineer’s bid documents carried FPO stamps and detailed specifications for equipment and consumables, another document referenced by the defence did not contain an official stamp and did not appear to be part of the formal procurement record.

After the waiver was granted, Tender 153 of 2011 was withdrawn, and standard withdrawal letters were issued to all bidders, she said, with all records typically filed within official procurement documentation.

Wise also gave evidence on a later Ministry request to purchase reagents for Hospineer-supplied analysers. She confirmed preparing a board paper for approval of a sole-source purchase worth more than $276,000 after the Ministry argued the machines required specific compatible reagents.

She told the court the recommendation for sole-source procurement was based on manufacturer documentation identifying Hospineer as the exclusive distributor, making alternative supply incompatible with the equipment.

The trial continues.