The University’s current security services provider, Aglipay Security Inc., will be replaced by Commander Security Services Inc. starting Tuesday, November 1, 2013, as a result of the bidding process held by the Procurement Office during the first term of AY 2013-2014.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus Services Josemari Calleja said that the bidding process ended this second term, even as it began last term. “It culminated in a meeting on 24 September, but the process started sometime in June.”
He added in an informal interview that accomplishing or overseeing a task such as the replacement of the security agency can be done earlier so as to facilitate management. “It is in adherence to the policy that the school’s goods and services should be bidded out whenever possible,” he states.
All of the University’s contractual services are subject to periodic bidding, the University’s security provider notwithstanding. Bidding for security takes into consideration the accreditation for the agency, its technical capacity as well as the cost or financial proposal prepared by the bidding agency.
Security and Safety Office Director (SSO) Dionisio Escarez adds that Aglipay’s contract, which started last July 2012, is merely being extended until Commander Security can officially move in. “Ine-extend na lang hanggang mapalitan sila [Aglipay is just waiting until Commander can move in],” he shares.
To quote a June 2012 article on bidding of security agencies by The LaSallian, “Agency accreditation refers to the specific accreditation, permits and certification required to qualify the agency as a legal provider. After passing the accreditation stage, the agency’s capacity to meet the University’s security needs is then gauged, according to the terms of reference prepared by the Procurement Office.
These terms of reference indicate the minimum needed manpower, equipment, training, and technical services to be met by the bidding groups; additional offers by each agency are also examined for this requirement, such as offers of vehicles, tools, weapons and additional training.
After presenting the technical requirements, the bidding groups’ actual rates for the guards are examined in a financial proposal, detailing each guard’s pay rate per rank. The financial proposal includes the agency fee on top of the guards’ salaries.
The technical capacity and financial proposal are submitted to a higher Bids Committee, a committee of four individuals, top administrators assembled specifically for purchasing decisions above P2 million in value.
Security being one of the University’s largest expenses, the Bids Committee deliberates based on both the considerations, as well as other factors necessary to break marginal differences, such as service history, and even alumni relations with the agency. Regardless, the main variable factor redounds to rates and cost, as both accreditation and technical capacity stages of the bidding are, according to Procurement, decided only by pass or fail.”
Escarez confirms that everyone is just waiting for November, and that all the necessary protocols are ready to ease the smooth transition of the new agency taking over. “Naka-standby na lang ang lahat bago mag-November, nakapag-ready naman ang guards ngayon [Everyone’s just waiting for November, and this batch of guards is already preparing for the transition].”
Aglipay’s contract lasted for a year and three months before being replaced. The contract of Commander may be good for two years, as Escarez states that the time of the security’s stint in the University and with the community was “too short.”
Calleja points out that whenever a new security agency takes over the detail of a former, there will always those who will be retained. Guards who are familiar with the University’s security protocols, routes and procedures are retained or absorbed into the new agency so as to assure a proper transition of knowledge and experience. “Management is still determining how many guards it will retain,” he shares. Escarez is also still awaiting a final count of the guards to be absorbed, but he confirms that a good number will stay on.
Commander Security will not only be holding DLSU, but also neighbor De La Salle College of St. Benilde (DLS-CSB). Calleja states that a joint committee involved in the screening of security agencies decided to take on a security agency with the most attractive bid that could also coordinate with DLS-CSB and DLSU-STC. According to the figures provided by the SSO, the approximated number of guards to be deployed in La Salle’s main campus number is 112 guards, while 146 will be stationed in CSB’s campuses and 25 or so guards will be manning the University and Integrated School premises in Canlubang.
The school’s CCTV cameras, often thought to be a prerogative of the agency, are pre-existing hardware managed and maintained separately by the University and will not be the responsibility of Commander. These will be replaced according to the discretion of administration.
According to Escarez, the new agency will be bringing in new K9 units and fire trucks as well as additional equipment to augment the existing equipment of the SSO. Calleja affirms, “We have increased the number of training sessions the security personnel will undergo. Commander Security Agency will also deploy a firetruck that will be shared by DLSU and DLS-CSB as part of our joint effort to prepare for emergencies.”
Given the expansion of the University in Canlubang and with more buildings on the way, these benefits may be only necessary for providing for DLSU’s increasing security needs, especially in light of theft reports inside campus. “Overall, we just have to refine certain protocols to improve the total quality of security service being rendered to the community,” Calleja asserts.
