ANDHRA PRADESH STATE ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION
O/o the Managing Director,
Bus Bhavan, Hyderabad- 624,
No.IR2/122(1)/2011-PO-IV
CIRCULAR NO.PD-09/2011, DATED 14.03.2011.
Sub: CONTRACTS – Awarding of Work Contracts of Sweeping, Cleaning and Washing of buses, along with parking duties etc., - Further guidelines issued – Reg.
Ref: 1) Circular No.PD-38/2006, dated 09.09.2006.
2) Notification No.12/2007, dated 30.07.2007.
3) Cir.No.PD-15/2008, dated 25.02.2008.
4) Notification No.PD-11/2010, dated 20.09.2010.
5) Cir.No.PD-68/2010, dated 23.12.2010.
* * *
Through references cited, detailed guidelines were issued on awarding of contracts relating to Sweeping, Cleaning and Washing of Buses at Garages and Bus Stations along with parking duties.
Several instances have come to notice wherein belated claims by the Contractors, delayed payments by the Units to the Contractors and delayed disbursement of minimum wages, causing severe hardship to the contract Labour engaged by the Contractors, which is in turn effecting the quality of work under Contract. Therefore it has been decided to draw a Schedule for payment of Contract amount for strict adherence by the Units, in the Contracts of Washing and Sweeping of buses.
It is also noticed that though number of workers to be deployed per day is specified, the Contractors are unable to produce the specified number of Labour every day, on the pretext that they have to provide weekly Off to the Contract labour. As per the practice in vogue, the Contractor has to meet the wages towards Off relievers from out of his profit margin and he has to quote his profit margin keeping in view of his liability towards Off reliever. But it is learnt from the field managers that to win over the Contracts amidst heavy competition, the Contractors are quoting minimum profit margin of 7% only. Therefore, the Contractors are not inclined to provide Off relievers which is effecting the quality of work. Therefore, it has been decided to pay to the Contractors who are entrusted with the work of washing and sweeping of buses, 0.1666 (1/6) of wage per person towards the provision of Off relievers, so that the Contractor provides Off relievers, whenever the regular labour avails Off or arranges additional payment to the labour who work in cancellation of their Off.
Keeping in view of the BSR and the personnel cost involved in engaging the regular Drivers for parking duties, a decision has been taken to outsource the work of parking duties. But the field Officers and the Contractors of Greater Hyderabad Zone have expressed difficulty in carrying out the washing and sweeping of buses due to non availability of parking drivers. As the nature of operations in Hyderabad and Secunderabad Regions necessitates washing of 80% of buses in the night time, high congestion and lack of maneuverability made the parking duties in City depots a tedious task and due to heavy demand for drivers in Hyderabad City, the Contractors are unable to find and retain the skilled drivers to carry out the activities. Therefore, it has been decided to delink the parking duties from the Contract of Sweeping and Washing of buses in Hyderabad and Secunderabad Regions.
The field Officers and Contractors have informed that the rates are being fixed based on the number of vehicles existing in the depots as on the date of tender notification. Later, on account of increase in the fleet strength, if the strength of that depot falls in the higher slab fixed by IED, the Contractor has to engage additional persons but the additional amounts are not being paid, as the existing terms and conditions do not permit for such review in the middle of the Contract period. Therefore, it has been decided to include relevant clause in the terms and conditions of the Contract.
The Contractors of Hyderabad and Secunderabad Regions have expressed difficulty in arranging minimum wages to the labour as they are paid much lesser than that because of their inability to attend 100% washing and sweeping of vehicles daily. Since the percentage of washing of vehicles cannot be fixed as uniform for all the Regions, after elaborate discussion, it has been decided to advise the tender Committees to decide the number of vehicles that can be washed and can be attended under MWP daily in a depot.
The Contractors are representing to pay profit margin on revised wages whenever the minimum wages are revised in the middle of the Contract period. It has been decided to pay 7% profit margin on revised wages to motivate the Contractors to pay the revised wages to the Labour, in the Contracts of Washing and Sweeping of buses.
It is also learnt that the Unit Officers are not providing the material required for sweeping and washing of Buses though there are instructions in vogue.
The field Officers in Cities of Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam have expressed difficulty in supervising the activity of washing and sweeping of buses, as one supervisor has to be allotted exclusively for monitoring the activity in the night time. Therefore, it has been decided to provide wages to the Contractors towards one person under Semi skilled category, for ensuring the presence of Contract Labour and for monitoring the activity of Sweeping and Washing of buses in the City depots of Hyderabad Region, Secunderabad Region, Vijayawada Region and Visakhapatnam Region, only in those depots whose Schedules are more than 100.
The field Officers and Contractors suggested to make the Contract period for 3 years and extendable up to 5 years subject to the satisfactory performance, so as to ensure the security of tenure for the Contract labour. They have also suggested to remove the preferential clause for PF and ESI code holders so as to encourage new Contractors.
Therefore, the following guidelines are issued for strict compliance:
The Unit Officers and the Contractors shall adhere to the following Schedule
a. Submission of claim by the Contractor by 2nd of the month.
b. Certification by Maintenance Incharge by 4th of the month.
c. To be sent to Account’s Office by DM’s Office for pre-audit by 6th of the month.
d. To be returned to DM’s Office by Accounts Office by 10th of the month, along with the funds after pre audit.
e. Payment to the Contractor by DM’s office on 11th of the month.
f. Proof of payment of wages to the Labour to be submitted by the Contractor in DM’s Office by 15th of the month.
Responsibility will be fixed on the concerned Unit Officers if the above Schedule is not adhered to. The failure on the part of Contractors for more than 3 times in a year, to submit the Proof of payment of wages to the Labour on time and remittance of PF, EDLIF and ESI etc., would make them liable to be black listed, if such failure is on account of the reasons that can be attributed to them.
2. Payment shall be arranged to the Contractors who are entrusted with the washing and sweeping of buses, at the rate of 1/6th of wages per person engaged by the Contractors, towards the provision of “OFF” relievers. The Contractor has to invariably provide Off relievers, whenever the regular labour avails Off or shall arrange additional payment to the labour who work in cancellation of their Off and the Unit Officers have to ensure that the specified number of Labour are deployed every day.
In the model Deed of Contract enclosed to the Circular 1st cited, the Clause No. 8 shall be amended as given below:
“To undertake the above specified work contract, the Contractor shall deploy-----persons/contract Labour in each shift daily for the above contract work in the contract area. The Corporation shall arrange payment at the rate of 1/6th of wages per person engaged by the Contractors, towards the provision of “OFF” relievers. The Contractor has to invariably provide Off relievers, whenever the regular labour avails Off or shall arrange additional payment to the labour who work in cancellation of their Off. For the labour engaged for sweeping and cleaning activity the Contractor must pay minimum wages prescribed by the Government for Contract Labour in the “unskilled” category”.
Necessary amendments shall be made in the Tender conditions also. The Off reliever wages shall be included as one of the component while assessing minimum cost of the Contract. For all the existing Contracts of washing and sweeping of buses, the Off reliever wages, shall be paid wef 01.05.2011, after ensuring that the Contractors deployed Off relievers.
3. The out sourcing work of parking duties in Hyderabad and Secunderabad Regions shall be de-linked from the contract of Washing and Sweeping of Buses. In case of Depots of Hyderabad and Secunderabad Regions, separate Tenders are to be called, for out sourcing the work of parking duties. If more than one tenderer quotes equal amount and if the Contractor who is allotted with the Contract of Sweeping and Washing of buses of that depot is one among them, preference should be given to that Contractor. Only in those depots of Hyderabad and Secunderabad Regions, where the separate Tenders for parking duties failed to evince proper response, Contract Drivers shall be utilized for parking duties with the prior approval of Corporate Office.
4. The following Clause shall be included in the “Deed of Contract”.
“Whenever the addition or reduction of the fleet results in falling of the fleet strength in the higher or lower slabs fixed by IED, the amount payable to the Contractor will be revised accordingly”
5. The tender Committee has to decide the number of vehicles that can be swept, washed and can be attended under MWP per day, in a depot, depending on the number of vehicles in the depot and nature of operations and availability of vehicles and maneuverability in the depot etc. After assessing at the number of vehicles that can be swept, washed and can be attended under MWP per day in a depot, the number of persons to be engaged by the Contractor has to be assessed keeping in view of the man power requirement fixed vide Cir.No.PD-15/2008, dated 25.02.2008 and accordingly the minimum cost of the Contract shall be fixed.
6. 7% Profit margin shall be paid on the revised minimum wages to the Contractors who are entrusted with the washing and sweeping of buses and the profit margin on revised wages shall be paid wef 01.04.2011.
7. The Contractors who are entrusted with the contract of washing and sweeping of buses in the City depots of Hyderabad Region, Secunderabad Region, Vijayawada Region and Visakhapatnam Region shall be paid wages towards providing one person under Semi skilled category, for ensuring the presence of prescribed number of Contract Labour and for monitoring the activity of Sweeping and Washing of buses. Such payment shall be made only if the number of Schedules of the depot exceeds 100.
8. The Contract of Sweeping and Washing of buses shall be allotted to the lowest bidder. No preference shall be given to the Tenderers with PF and ESI Registration. Necessary amendments shall be made in the Tender conditions.
9. The material required for Sweeping and Cleaning of buses shall be supplied by the Unit Officers and the necessary Clause shall be included in the Agreement. Dy CMEs of the regions shall ensure stocking of material at Depots and Zonal Stores.
10. The minimum period of contract of the washing and sweeping of buses, shall initially be for a period of three years, extendable for two years on similar Terms and conditions, subject to satisfactory performance. This extension shall not be made applicable for the existing Contracts. Only for future contracts, necessary amendments shall be made in the deed of Contracts.
The existing circular instructions on the above subject are modified only to the extent indicated above.
Necessary action may be taken accordingly.
VICE CHAIRMAN &
MANAGING DIRECTOR
To
All Officers of the Corporation.
Copy to: Sr.RAO/AG: RTC Branch, Mushirabad, Hyderabad.
Copy to: All the RMs/ Dy. CAOs and AOs of Regions.
Copy to: Secretary to Chairman/PS to VC & MD.
Copy to: Dy.CAO(TA&INS)
Copy to: PRO/HO for translation into Telugu.
Copy to: PO(Trg.)/HO, for inclusion in monthly index of Circulars (4 copies).
Copy to: Notice Board & Incharge Record Room.