Our agency procures the supply of drugs and medicines for the city.  Bulk bidding is conducted before we can purchase this supply.

Prior to the bulk bidding, the pre-requisite is the pre-bid conference.  During this conference, all the members of the Bids and Awards Committee and the bidders and suppliers should be present.  Pre-bid conferencing is important because this is were all issues, concerns, questions, clarifications and suggestions regarding the items for procurement are tackled. It is in this conference also that all requirements are discussed.  So when everything is already clear, everybody is already prepared and the bulk bidding can commence.  Schedule of bulk bidding is published in our local newspapers.

During the bidding, bidders should drop their sealed bid forms in a designated box within the conference room of our office.  During the bidding proper, no questions are entertained.  The bidding will last for 3-4 hours depending on the number of items to be bid.

Fifteen days after the bidding, the winning bidder is notified through the Notice of Award that states, among other things, the final price of the goods purchased and the number of days the bidder is given to deliver his goods to our office.

Upon delivery of drugs and medicines to our agency, the first to be notified by the supplier is the Supply Office.  Then the Supply Office informs the Inspection Committee.  As one of the members of the said committee and at the same time a Regulatory Officer, I am well versed with the rules and regulations as far as purchase of drugs and medicines are concerned.  Upon request for inspection by the Supply Officer, I am the one tasked to scrutinize the documents submitted by the supplier.  If I discover that requirements are lacking, I will inform the committee that inspection should not be completed. 

In one instance, what really happened? Inspection as to quantity and specifications was still conducted even though there were requirements lacking because our superiors insisted on it.  We already explained to our boss that requirements were still lacking and inspection reports stating the lacking requirements had already been accomplished.  Even worse, payment for the goods was made. Discussion questions:

1. If you were the writer, how would you have dealt with this situation?
2. The writer does not mention what he did after the incident.  Would you have confronted your boss about it afterwards?
3. Granted that you are able to talk to your boss about the incident, if he seems unapologetic about facilitating an anomalous transaction, what course of action would you take  would you keep it to yourself, or would you attempt to bring the incident to the attention of a higher authority?