Panel Upholds 88.86% Technical Score, Orders Procurement Process to Continue
By Ibrahim Alusine Kamara (Kamalo)
The Independent Procurement Review Panel (IPRP) has dismissed a complaint filed by Tiwai Memory Masters Ltd (TMM) against the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project under the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI), ruling that the company’s technical score of 88.86 percent was “fair and correct.”
In a decision dated October 6, 2026, the Panel upheld the evaluation conducted under the World Bank-funded procurement process for the supply, installation, implementation and support of Government Wide Area Networks (GWAN) and Government Local Area Networks (GLANs) across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
TMM challenged the score after conducting its own assessment and concluding that its technical proposal deserved approximately 96 percent. The company argued that the procuring entity had not adequately explained the deductions made during the evaluation and subsequently sought redress from the IPRP.
However, after reviewing documentary evidence and hearing oral submissions from both parties, the Panel dismissed the complaint, finding that the deductions were justified and based on shortcomings identified in TMM’s proposal when measured against the rated criteria outlined in the Request for Proposals (RFP).
“The mark allocated to the Complainant was fair and correct, taking into account all the arithmetic calculations and the evaluation process carried out,” the Panel stated in its ruling, adding that each deduction was supported by documented deficiencies in the proposal.
During the proceedings, the Respondent highlighted several weaknesses that led to score reductions, including inconsistent vendor terminology and equipment models, generic security and high-availability plans, insufficient differentiation of GLAN requirements for small, medium and large organisations, inadequate device-level architecture details, and gaps in regional metro-network coverage and resilience planning.
The Panel was also informed that TMM proposed approximately 61.4 kilometres of fibre optic infrastructure against the 208 kilometres specified in the procurement requirements and omitted Port Loko from its regional metro-network design. Additional concerns included inadequate redundancy and failover arrangements.
According to the ruling, the Respondent further identified inconsistencies in equipment specifications, missing information, conflicting technical details and sections of the proposal that reportedly contained material associated with other vendors or projects.
Despite these weaknesses, the Evaluation Committee did not disqualify TMM. Instead, marks were deducted only under the affected criteria, while credit was awarded in areas where the company demonstrated technical competence.
The Panel also raised concerns regarding the curriculum vitae of Rashid Abu, one of the personnel presented by TMM. According to the ruling, TMM indicated that Abu had been in its employment for the past 10 years, while evidence before the Panel showed that he was employed by the Bank of Sierra Leone.
“We found that Rashid Abu working for the Central Bank of Sierra Leone cannot at the same time be in full-time employment with the Complainant,” the Panel stated, describing the situation as “tantamount to fraud” and directing that such practices should cease immediately.
The IPRP further criticised TMM representative Mohamed Alpheus Turay over what it described as derogatory remarks directed at both the Respondent and the Panel during the proceedings. The Panel cautioned Turay against such conduct and emphasised that its decision was based solely on the evidence presented, oral submissions and applicable law.
Following its review, the Panel formally confirmed TMM’s technical score of 88.86 out of 100, effectively vindicating MoCTI and the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project on the central issue under dispute.
The Panel also lifted, with immediate effect, any suspension of the procurement process resulting from the complaint and directed the Respondent to proceed with the opening of financial proposals and the eventual award of the contract in accordance with the RFP and relevant procurement regulations.
Despite the dismissal of its complaint, TMM remains eligible to participate in the next stage of the procurement process.
The Panel further underscored the national importance of the World Bank-funded project, expressing concern that procurement disputes should not derail an initiative expected to deliver significant digital infrastructure improvements across Sierra Leone.
With the complaint now resolved, the procurement process is set to advance, while the IPRP’s ruling provides independent confirmation that the contested technical score was consistent with the evaluation criteria and the deficiencies identified in TMM’s proposal.