IPRP Upholds Tiwai Memory Masters’ Technical Score in Digital Project

Sierra Leone’s Independent Procurement Review Panel has dismissed a complaint by Tiwai Memory Masters Ltd over the technical evaluation of bids for the country’s Digital Transformation Project.

In a ruling delivered on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, the Panel upheld TMM’s technical score of 88.86 out of 100 and found that the evaluation complied with the criteria set out in the Request for Proposals.

Procurement process to continue

The procurement covers the supply, installation, implementation and support of Government Wide Area Networks and Government Local Area Networks across ministries, departments and agencies. It forms part of a World Bank-funded project focused on strengthening digital infrastructure, government connectivity and public service delivery.

The IPRP ordered the immediate lifting of any suspension imposed as a result of TMM’s complaint. It also directed the procuring entity to proceed with opening the financial proposals and to continue with subsequent procedures in line with the RFP and applicable regulations.

The ruling does not amount to a final contract award. TMM also remains eligible to participate in the next stage of the procurement process.

Panel cites technical weaknesses

TMM had challenged the technical assessment after conducting its own review and determining that its proposal deserved approximately 96 percent. The Evaluation Committee had not disqualified the company, but awarded marks for areas it considered technically satisfactory and deducted points where the submission did not fully meet the stated requirements.

According to the Panel’s findings and submissions presented during the review, the deductions reflected weaknesses and inconsistencies involving equipment models, security, high availability, institutional network requirements and device-level architecture.

The review also raised concerns about TMM’s proposed regional metro-network design, including its geographical coverage, resilience and backup arrangements. The Respondent told the Panel that TMM had proposed approximately 61.4 kilometres of fibre infrastructure, compared with 208 kilometres specified in the procurement requirements. The Panel was also informed that Port Loko had been omitted from the proposed regional metro-network design.

The IPRP said the final mark was properly calculated. “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.

Concerns over submitted information

The Panel also considered information relating to Rashid Abu’s curriculum vitae. It raised concerns about a representation that he had been employed by TMM for the preceding 10 years while he was working for the Central Bank of Sierra Leone.

“We found that Rashid Abu working for the Central Bank of Sierra Leone cannot at the same time be in a full-time employment with the Complainant,” the Panel said. It described the representation as “tantamount to fraud.” The description, however, was part of the Panel’s ruling and was not a criminal conviction or a separate judicial determination of fraud.

The Panel further criticised remarks attributed to TMM representative Mohamed Alpheus Turay and cautioned him against repeating conduct it considered derogatory.

With the complaint dismissed, the procurement can proceed to its financial and subsequent stages, subject to the requirements of the RFP and relevant regulations.