The Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI) has received a significant boost following a ruling by the Independent Procurement Review Panel (IPRP) dismissing a complaint filed by Tiwai Memory Masters Ltd (TMM) over the technical evaluation of bids under the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project.
The decision, delivered on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, upheld the 88.86 percent technical score awarded to TMM during the procurement process for the supply, installation, implementation and support of Government Wide Area Networks (GWAN) and Government Local Area Networks (GLANs) across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The procurement forms part of a World Bank-funded initiative intended to strengthen Sierra Leone’s digital infrastructure, improve Government connectivity and support the modernization of public service delivery.
TMM had challenged the technical evaluation after conducting its own assessment and concluding that its proposal deserved approximately 96 percent rather than the 88.86 percent awarded by the Evaluation Committee. The company maintained that the procuring entity had not sufficiently justified the deductions made during the assessment and subsequently referred the matter to the IPRP for an independent determination.
However, following a detailed examination of documentary evidence, technical submissions and oral arguments presented by both parties, the Panel concluded that the evaluation was conducted in accordance with the established criteria contained in the Request for Proposals (RFP).
“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 in its ruling.
According to the decision, the deductions were supported by identifiable weaknesses and inconsistencies in TMM’s technical submission rather than any arbitrary decision by the Evaluation Committee.
During the proceedings, the Respondent presented several technical deficiencies that influenced the company’s final score. These included inconsistencies in vendor terminology and proposed equipment models, inadequate security and high-availability arrangements, insufficient differentiation between network requirements for small, medium and large institutions, and limited device-level architectural information.
The evaluation also identified shortcomings in the proposed regional metro-network design, particularly concerning geographical coverage, network resilience and the availability of backup arrangements necessary to maintain reliable connectivity.
One of the major concerns highlighted during the review involved the proposed fibre-optic network coverage. According to the Respondent, TMM proposed approximately 61.4 kilometres of fibre infrastructure against the 208 kilometres specified in the procurement requirements.
The Panel was further informed that Port Loko was omitted from the company’s proposed regional metro-network design, while provisions for network redundancy and failover mechanisms were considered inadequate.
Additional concerns involved conflicting technical specifications, missing information and sections of the submission reportedly containing material associated with other vendors or projects.
Despite these deficiencies, the Evaluation Committee did not disqualify TMM from the procurement exercise. Instead, it awarded marks for areas where the company demonstrated technical competence while applying deductions to components that failed to fully satisfy the prescribed requirements.
The IPRP determined that this approach was consistent with the evaluation framework and found no sufficient basis to overturn the technical score.
Beyond the scoring dispute, the Panel raised a separate and serious concern regarding information contained in the curriculum vitae of Rashid Abu, who was presented as one of TMM’s personnel.
According to the ruling, the company indicated that Rashid Abu had been employed by TMM for the preceding ten years. However, the Panel established that he was working for the Central Bank of Sierra Leone, raising questions about the accuracy of the employment information submitted.
“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 stated.
The Panel described the representation as “tantamount to fraud” and directed that such conduct should cease immediately.
The finding represents a serious criticism of the information presented in TMM’s bid, although the Panel’s observation should be distinguished from a criminal conviction or a separate judicial determination of fraud.
The proceedings also attracted criticism from the Panel concerning the conduct of TMM representative Mohamed Alpheus Turay.
The IPRP expressed dissatisfaction with remarks it considered derogatory towards the Respondent and members of the Panel. It consequently cautioned Mohamed Turay against repeating such conduct and emphasized that its determination was guided strictly by the evidence, oral submissions and applicable procurement laws.
After considering the competing arguments, the Panel dismissed TMM’s complaint and confirmed that the technical score of 88.86 out of 100 was properly awarded.
The ruling represents a significant outcome for MoCTI and the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project, particularly because the central allegation concerning the fairness of the technical evaluation was not upheld by the independent review body.
Importantly, the Panel ordered the immediate lifting of any suspension imposed on the procurement process as a consequence of the complaint.
It further directed the procuring entity to proceed with the opening of financial proposals and subsequent procurement procedures in accordance with the Request for Proposals and relevant regulations.
Notwithstanding the dismissal of its complaint, TMM remains eligible to participate in the next stage of the procurement process, meaning the ruling does not automatically exclude the company from further consideration.
The decision also does not constitute a final contract award, as the remaining procurement procedures must still be completed in compliance with the applicable requirements.
The Panel underscored the national importance of the World Bank-funded digital transformation initiative and expressed concern that procurement disputes should not unnecessarily obstruct a project intended to improve Sierra Leone’s technological capacity and public sector connectivity.
The planned Government Wide Area and Local Area Networks are expected to support more efficient communication between public institutions, strengthen digital service delivery and provide essential infrastructure for the Government’s broader technological modernization agenda.
With the complaint dismissed and the suspension lifted, the procurement process can now advance towards its next phase.
The IPRP’s ruling has therefore strengthened MoCTI’s position in the disputed technical evaluation while reaffirming the importance of transparency, compliance and evidence-based assessment in public procurement.
For the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project, the decision removes a major procedural obstacle and provides an opportunity for the implementation process to move forward, subject to the remaining procurement requirements.
