Suture procurement all sewn up, tenderer claims

A bidder for the government tender for the supply of monofilament polypropylene sutures has filed a judicial protest, claiming that the government Central Procurement and Supplies Unit (CPSU) had gone ahead and signed a contract with another tenderer, despite the process being the subject of an appeal.

The judicial protest, signed by lawyer Robert Galea in the name of ProCare Ltd of Mosta, explains that the tender, number 020-6655/17, had been divided into a number of lots, one of which was awarded to the plaintiff and three others were awarded to a competitor.

The plaintiff had tabled an objection before the board of revision of public contracts, which was only partly upheld and so ProCare had filed an appeal.

But despite the filing of the appeal, which should have suspended the tendering process, the authority had pressed on and concluded the contract. This, says the judicial protest, breaches the basic principles of law as well as specific regulations on public procurement.

The judicial protest, filed by lawyer Robert Galea, calls on the First Hall of the Civil Court to halt the contract from being entered into until a final decision by the courts, whilst holding them responsible for damages.