Pursuant to Sanctions Board Decision No. 130, the Sanctions Board imposes sanctions of debarment with conditional release on the respondents in Sanctions Cases No. 680 and No. 681 (the ¡°Respondents¡±). These sanctions involve minimum periods of ineligibility of four years and three months for A.G. Vision Construction Nigeria Ltd. (the ¡°First Respondent Firm¡±); and six months each for Abou Ghazaleh Contracting Nigeria Ltd. (the ¡°Second Respondent Firm¡±), Mr. Elie Abou Ghazaleh (the ¡°Respondent Managing Director¡±), and Mr. Fadi Abou Ghazaleh (the ¡°Respondent Executive Director¡±).
These sanctions are imposed on the First Respondent Firm for fraudulent and collusive practices as defined in Paragraph 1.16(a)(ii) and Paragraph 1.16(a)(iii) of the World Bank¡¯s Guidelines: Procurement of Goods, Works, and Non-consulting Services under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants by World Bank Borrowers (January 2011) (the ¡°January 2011 Procurement Guidelines¡±); and on the Second Respondent Firm, the Respondent Managing Director, and the Respondent Executive Director for collusive practices as defined in Paragraph 1.16(a)(iii) of the January 2011 Procurement Guidelines.
Capsule Summary of Findings:
The First Respondent Firm was found liable for engaging in fraudulent practices by knowingly misrepresenting its work experience in its bids for six Bank-financed contracts. In addition, all the Respondents were found liable for engaging in a collusive arrangement, whereby the First Respondent Firm and the Second Respondent Firm coordinated the preparation and pricing of their respective bids on four Bank-financed contracts. In selecting the appropriate sanction for the Respondents, the Sanctions Board took into account all relevant aggravating and mitigating factors. Full discussion of the facts, allegations, and the Sanctions Board¡¯s analysis can be found in the published decision.