ISLAMABAD  -  The executive board of the National Highway Authority on Wednesday formed a committee to resolve the issue of an obsolete Composite Schedule Rate (CSR), which is hindering the procurement process at a large scale.

The CSR means price schedules for various items used in road projects duly approved by the board for preparing cost estimates of contracts for civil works and it should be updated with the passage of time to align it with market rates.

However, in the case of NHA, its CSR-2022 is based upon outdated market rates of September 2021 and rates mentioned against different items in it are quite below then the current market as a result of unprecedented price hike in recent years.

Sources said that the obsolete CSR resulted in quite high bids in the recent months and most of the tenders were awarded on a very higher side as compared to the actual engineer’s estimates, which was based on the CSR- 2022 and was not market compatible.

The figures not only perturbed the circles within NHA but as per the sources an anti-corruption watchdog also stepped into the matter and dragged the officials, resultantly the procurement was halted till a final decision in this regard.

NHA’s executive board in its last meeting deliberated was informed that the tender acceptance committee had accepted such high bids and awarded contracts with the understanding that the CSR would be revised but draft CSR- 2023 is yet to be approved by the board.

The board was apprised that if the high bids received are evaluated as per the draft CSR-2023 then they become justifiable but evaluating every bid on market rates without having a lawful backing is a difficult task and it may attract some problems in future.

The board was also informed that due to delay in approval of CSR- 2023, several works of important nature are being delayed that would result in further damages to the road network where intervention is needed as well as increase in the cost.

The board was requested to look into the matter and a policy decision was solicited in this regard but the executive board has formed a three-member committee comprising member planning, member finance and member engineering coordination to deliberate upon this matter and come up with a comprehensive solution in the next meeting.

A representative of the Contractor Association of Pakistan while responding on the issue maintained that the CSR-2022 is totally unjustified and rates are outdated.

He strongly demanded that the revised CSR should be approved immediately to cater the market needs.