Business

Carib LPG Selected as WAPA’s New Propane Supplier After Scrutiny-Filled RFP Process

A second request for proposals to supply the Water and Power Authority with liquified propane has resulted in the selection of Carib LPG as WAPA's new vendor.  “We are right now in the process of preparing a contract offer based on their proposal,” said WAPA CEO Karl Knight, as he briefed members of the Public Services Commission on Tuesday.  The re-issued RFP attracted five bids from the 34 direct solicitations sent out by WAPA – Empire Gas Inc, Saintnals LLC, Equinor Marketing & Trading Inc., Carib LPG Trading Ltd., and Vitol Virgin Islands Corporation.  Empire Gas, the company whose direct supply contract issued after the failure of the first RFP was quickly rescinded amidst concerns about the procurement process, did provide the proposal with the lowest cost. Their bid met with the approval of the evaluation committee on almost all criteria, however “the one weakness in the proposal was an insistence on prepayment for fuel,” Mr. Knight said. This was a reversal from their origin...