G.O.B. Docs Show Smart Won Microsoft Subscription Through Lowest Bid

Mark Lizarraga

And, in the continuing controversy over government communications contracts, official government documents obtained by News Five today reveal that Smart did indeed offer the least expensive proposal for its software subscriptions. The document lists Smart as an authorized reseller of Microsoft Office 365 Products and shows Smart submitted a one-year subscription proposal to G.O.B. for approximately three point three million dollars.  Two additional authorized resellers, Belize Telemedia Limited and Inova Solutions also submitted bids.  B.T.L.’s proposal was valued at three point four million dollars. With a recommendation from a Bid Committee, headed by CITO representatives, the Ministry of Finance then approved Smart’s proposal. In a press conference on Tuesday, B.T.L. Chairman Mark Lizarraga confirmed Smart won the bidding.

Mark Lizarraga, Chairman, B.T.L.

“I know of one instance of, I think it was a software license that went out to contract nuh? There was a bid that was put out which we lost, which we lost. The other company, unfortunately, came in cheaper than us. We had margins of about ten percent, and the other company we are told won the contract because they bid less than us.”

Reporter

“If B.T.L. loses all of Government’s contracts that it currently has, will it remain viable?”

Mark Lizarraga

“Government is our largest customer, so that is something we will have to seriously look at. But I can assure you that we do not intent to sit down on our laurels and watch government business be eroded.”

In a release today, the Government of Belize characterized the bidding process as “open, transparent and fair.” G.O.B. says there was not and could not have been anything described as “interference,” since all three bids were password protected.