Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has officially denied claims circulating on social media that PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has been selected for a consultancy assignment related to benchmarking the company’s Research and Development (R&D) activities. In a clear and formal statement, the defence PSU clarified that no consultancy firm has been finalized for the assignment as yet.
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HAL confirmed that it had indeed issued a Request for Quotation (RFQ) as part of an initiative to engage a consultancy firm to carry out a benchmarking study of its R&D systems against those of leading global Aerospace and Defence companies. However, it stressed that the selection process is still ongoing and no firm has been awarded the project so far.
The benchmarking study is part of HAL’s broader roadmap for modernization and strategic improvement, and stems from recommendations by a high-powered committee on Public Undertakings. The company reiterated that it is committed to adhering strictly to transparency and government procurement norms throughout the selection process.
The consultancy selection is being conducted via the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal to ensure a fair and competitive procedure, in full compliance with existing procurement guidelines.
Responding to the misinformation spreading online, HAL emphasized, “No official award of work has been made so far, and any information suggesting otherwise is premature and incorrect.” The company urged all stakeholders to rely solely on official channels for accurate updates related to its ongoing projects and procurement activities.
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