Questions have surfaced over the batching plant requirement in the bidding of infrastructure projects at the Baguio City District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), after concerns were raised by contractors who said the condition may have limited participation in a recent procurement activity.

Highly placed sources within the DPWH said a bidding conducted on 5 March resulted in only one contractor securing the project after reportedly meeting the batching plant requirement indicated in the bidding terms. Several contractors had earlier expressed interest in participating but raised concerns that they did not own batching plants.

According to the sources, some contractors appealed for reconsideration so they could still join the procurement process even without owning such facilities. However, officials involved in the bidding reportedly maintained that the requirement forms part of existing standards applied to infrastructure projects.

Records from the DPWH Transparency Portal show that from 2021 to 2025, Goldrich Construction secured more than P1 billion worth of projects from the Baguio City District Engineering Office.

Highly placed sources in the DPWH explained that the batching plant requirement is tied to Department Order No. 253, Series of 2003, which governs the accreditation of asphalt and Portland cement concrete batching plants through the DPWH Bureau of Research and Standards.

According to the sources, the policy does not necessarily require contractors to own batching plants. Instead, compliance may also be achieved through arrangements with accredited batching plants to ensure that construction materials used in infrastructure projects meet the department’s technical standards.

The sources added that the batching plant requirement forms part of the minimum equipment and capability standards for infrastructure projects to ensure quality and compliance with DPWH specifications.

They further clarified that contractors without their own batching facilities may still participate in bidding through recognized arrangements such as lease agreements or supply commitments with Bureau of Research and Standards-accredited batching plants, provided these can guarantee the availability of materials that meet DPWH standards.

According to the sources, the policy is intended to balance fair competition among contractors while maintaining strict quality control for materials used in government infrastructure projects.