BUSINESS NEW VISION, Wednesday, November 1, 2017 35 Two flower firms get Vision Group to diversify free zones licence By Benon Ojiambo By Samuel Sanya Silk), which will deliver savings of and Shamim Saad $250,000 (about sh913m) annually. Vision Group is set to explore new Kabushenga said Vision Group is Uganda Free Zones Authority (UFZA) areas of investment outside its set to reposition its legacy brands, has granted two flower-exporting traditional field of media to boost such as the New Vision newspaper, companies licences to operate in profit. and build on commercial printing designated free zones. The company will explore and events products. They are Rosebud Limited and opportunities in events management The company registered a healthy Premier Roses Limited, which are based and improve its route to market 46% rise in events revenue in in Entebbe and are subsidiaries of the for commercial printing, senior 2016/17. Management expects this Ruparelia Group. management has revealed. growth to continue in 2017/18. The development brings to 11 the The announcement comes after “We are going to use our media number of companies operating in the company registered a 7.12% dip assets to create events that are good free zones. Others include Arua SEZ in revenue to sh86b in the financial for our clients. It is no longer enough Limited, Nilus Group Limited, Uganda year 2016/17 while pretax net profit just to be in the media space, you Wood Impex, Fiduga Ltd and Royal Van declined to sh780m from sh7.4b in have to invest in other things that Zanten. the previous financial year. generate revenue,” Kabushenga Goods that land or are manufactured Vision Group board chairman said. and sold or re-exported in a free zone David Ssebabi noted that despite “If we had not diversified 10 years area are not subjected to customs duties the decline in profit, the company Ssebabi (left) and Kabushenga addressing a press conference in ago, we would have been wiped out and other rules of production that would remains in a strong position to Kampala yesterday. Photo by Tony Rujuta today,” he added, noting that the apply outside the zoned area. register better performance. board has considered several areas Evelyn Anite, the state minister for He was speaking at a ‘facts behind Gervase Ndyanabo, the company’s of investment. investment and privatisation, said the figures’ media briefing at the deputy managing director and chief “We are positioned Susan Nsibirwa, Vision awarding of the latest licences is Uganda Securities Exchange (USE) finance officer, noted that the slower Group’s head of marketing and expected to accelerate economic growth yesterday. economic growth of 3.9%, down communications, said electronic and attract new investments. “It has been a challenging year; from 4.6%, was felt in operations well for the future. paper sales are performing above Rajiv Ruparelia, the chief executive the financial statements speak for through a drop in circulation and targets. officer of the Ruparelia Group, said themselves. Our bottom line was advertising revenue. I expect next year She revealed that the company’s current investment at the firms is about affected by the tough economic He said the drop in print circulation local language products, especially $40m (about sh146b), but is expected to situation and new requirements revenues was compensated by the Bukedde platforms, had increase to about $150m (about sh547b) for receivables (money owed to the growth in radio and events, to be better.” Ssebabi registered significant growth. over the next five years. company),” he said. television and digital revenue. Nsibirwa said Vision Group “With the number of licensed “Our fundamentals remain sound Ndyanabo also explained that has the highest brand equity in companies increasing, it requires that and we are well-positioned for bad debts provided for worth about arrangement to collect money owed Uganda’s media industry and management increases the supervision, the future. I expect next year to sh3b, mostly due to government to it in the future. the third-highest overall behind monitoring, evaluation and review of the be better. Using our strong brand entities, ate into profit. He pointed out that the company telecom companies MTN and Airtel work and activities of these developers,” equity, we will participate in non- Robert Kabushenga, Vision has eliminated most of its dollar at 69.4%. Dr Frederick Kiwanuka, the UFZA traditional areas that will help our Group’s chief executive officer, said expenditure by acquiring newsprint She said this will ultimately result board chairperon, urged management. diversification strategy,” Ssebabi despite Government debts being from a local company and moving into successful diversification of the added. provided for, the company has an into Pike House (former Club company. UGANDA CO-OPERATIVE COLLEGE - TORORO THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA Standard Invitation to Bidders BID NOTICE UNDER OPEN BIDDING (RE- ADVERTISED) PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION AT UGANDA CO-OPERATIVE COLLEGE - TORORO 1. The Governing Council of Uganda Cooperative College Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ - Tororo received funds from Ministry of Education and representatives, who may choose to attend at the address Sports to be used for the Proposed Construction of below in No. 8(d) at 10:30 am on 20th November, 2017. Uganda Co-operative College - Tororo. The works will include: Two Storey Classroom/Offices block, 7. There shall be a pre-bid meeting/site visit at 09/11/2017 External works and all related services. at the address below on the dates indicated in the proposed schedule in this notice. 2. The Uganda Co-operative College - Tororo invites THE HEAD OF PROCUREMENT AND DISPOSAL UNIT sealed bids from eligible bidders for the Proposed UGANDA COOPERATIVE COLLEGE - TORORO Construction of Uganda Cooperative College - 4KM TORORO – MALABA HIGHWAY AT FORMER DFI Tororo. P.O. BOX 37, TORORO (UGANDA) 3. Bidding will be conducted in accordance with the TEL: 0774 003 080/ 0759 636 926 , 0774 456 585/ international Competitive in lieu of Open Domestic 0706 154 808 bidding method contained in the Government of 8. (a) Documents may be inspected at: Uganda’s Public Procurement and Disposal of Public PROCUREMENT AND DISPOSAL UNIT OFFICE Assets Act, 2003 and is open to all eligible bidders. UGANDA COOPERATIVE COLLEGE - TORORO 4. Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information 4KM TORORO – MALABA HIGH AT FORMER DFI and inspect the bidding documents at the address given P. O. BOX 37, TORORO (UGANDA) below in No. 8(a) from Monday- Friday from 8:30am (b) Documents will be issued from: [same as in 8(a)] -4:00 pm. (c) Bids must be delivered to: [same as in 8(a)] 5. The bidding documents in English may be purchased (d) Address of bid opening: [same as in 8(a)] by interested bidders on the submission of a written 9. The planned procurement Schedule (subject to application to the address below in No. 8(b) and upon changes) is as follows: payment of a non-refundable fee of Ushs. 200,000 (Uganda shillings Two Hundred Thousand only). Activity Date st The method of payment will be by Bank: Stanbic a. Publish bid 1 November 2017 th Bank; A/C No. 9030005683245; A/c Name: Tororo b. Pre-bid meeting / Site 9 November 2017 Cooperative College; Tororo Branch. visits where applicable c. Bid closing date 20th November 2017 6. Bids must be delivered to the address below in No. 8(c) d. Evaluation process 21st November 2017 th at or before 10.00 am on 20 November 2017. e. Display and 8th December 2017 communication best Each bid must be accompanied by a bid security of evaluated bidder notice Ushs 30, 000,000 (Uganda Shillings Thirty Million only) f. Contract signature 21st December 2017 or an equivalent amount in a freely convertible currency. Bid securities must be valid until 05/05/2018. Late bids BEHAYO PATRICK shall be rejected. PRINCIPAL.