. In the Free State, a contract to the value of R19,4 million was awarded to a contractor that failed to submit an original tax clearance certificate. Although the Bid Adjudication Committee supported the recommendation of the Bid Evaluation Committee to disqualify the bidder because it did not submit a tax clearance certificate, the head of the provincial Department of Public Works appointed the bidder in contravention of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act. The contract with the contractor was terminated due to insufficient progress and poor quality of construction work. A replacement contract was appointed on 24 November 2008. As at 19 July 2011, the provincial Department of Health confirmed that the work by the second contractor was completed although challenges remained on the quality issues.