By JOLENE OGLE
NOOSA Council has been asked to explain after the recommended outcome of tenders for the electric bus lease were made public before the unsuccessful company was notified.
According to a report presented to the Services and Organisation committee meeting on Tuesday 10 May, council staff recommended the Higer Bus and Coach company be nominated as the preferred supplier of electric buses for a proposed six-month trial in Noosa.
Bustech Pty Ltd chief commercial officer Damien Brown of the competing electric bus supply company, said he wasn’t aware of the recommended outcome until he was phoned by Noosa Today on Friday 13 May for his comment on the report.
The report to council also included the proposed six-month lease costs for both tenders with Bustech Pty Ltd proposing a cost of $929,681 and Higer Bus and Coach proposing a cost of $131,200.
At the general committee meeting at Noosa Council on Monday 16 May, project officer Joanna Ferris said the significant difference in cost between the two tenders came down to technologies.
“The two companies have different charging technologies, the buses produced by Higer can charge in under five minutes which means less buses would be required to run the route,” Ms Ferris said.
Despite the outcome, Mr Brown said he believed publishing the proposed costing for each tender is in violation of Noosa Council’s own conditions of tendering.
According to the conditions of tendering, clause 22.1 states “ … prices will not be disclosed unless the principal (Noosa Council) is required to do so by law or under Right to Information legislation”.
Mr Brown said he had written to the council officer responsible for the tender process referring to the conditions of tender.
The report also indicates Higer Bus and Coach is a Western Australia-based company, but the company’s marketing spokesperson confirmed Higer Bus and Coach is based in China.
The spokesperson confirmed, if Higer Bus and Coach are successful in the tender, the electric buses will be built in China and imported by another company.
Noosa Council was contacted for further comment, but did not reply before deadline.
Once the successful tender applicant is approved, the electric bus trial will include the use of electric buses on Sunbus route 627 instead of the current diesel buses. The cost of the trial will be shared by Noosa Council and Translink, but is expected to cost ratepayers $550,000.
What do you think? Do you want to see electric buses on Noosa roads? Email your thoughts to newsdesk@noosatoday.com.au.
