The allegation surrounded a study on technology and market opportunities in wood-plastic composites. In response, WRAP has re-advertised the tender with a new closing date of 11th October 2002.
Click here for the new invitation to tender.
A statement from WRAP on the re-advertised tender said: “Owing to a possible intervention in the Tender process WRAP has felt it necessary to re-run the tender process for the wood-plastic composite work in order to ensure that the process is fair and equal to all applicants. WRAP works hard to maintain an open and fair tender process. Any intervention in the process by an organisation or individual is taken extremely seriously hence WRAP’s decision to re-run the process on this occasion.”
According to policy director Ray Georgeson, WRAP received a complaint from one of the bidders in the original process that another bidder had been informing competitive consultancy firms that it had been awarded a “preferred status” in the process and that there wasn't any point in anyone else applying.
“It was just a line from a company trying to get ahead in the process. We're not prepared to tolerate that,” Mr Georgeson told letsrecycle.com. “It wasn't true, it was never true, but we took the judgement that the only fair thing to do to restore confidence in the process was to re-advertise the tender.”
WRAP has confirmed that no legal action will be taken over the matter, and the company at fault will still be permitted to submit a bid.
Mr Georgeson said: “Although it won't affect their bid, if that company was to do it again, we'd; have to have words with them. There's no legal action surrounding this – it's difficult to go after someone like that based on the evidence of one person, but we're determined not to be caught out by something like this.”
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