THE COMMISSION on Audit (CoA) flagged the National Privacy Commission (NPC) for failing to prepare the site for its ICT Data Center, resulting to the significant delay in the complete delivery and installation of procured equipment. The failure to prepare the facility site also prevented the full utilization of the procured equipment, CoA said. The center is intended to process, store, and disseminate large amounts of data. According to its 2018 annual audit report, CoA said the delivery and the installation of equipment started on January 15, 2018 and the supposed project was expected to be completed by March 16, 2018. However, the deliveries were made in three installments: February 26, June 13, and July 27, which were beyond the agreed schedule. “Inquiry from Management disclosed that the late delivery of the components was caused by the unavailability of space or site to place the same pending the construction of improvements,” reads the CoA report. CoA also cited that the bids and awards committee of the project, in the minutes of its September 5 pre-procurement meeting, discussed the availability of the funds but not the place for the ICT Data Center. “The construction started only on September 1, 2018 notwithstanding that, the said project should have started on February 20, 2018. Management explained that the detailed floor plan and drawings were revised for at least five times,” CoA said. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR