The County Council of Västerbotten is criticised for unauthorised direct procurement

In 2014 and 2015, the County Council of Västerbotten purchased patient-customised surgical trays for use in health and medical care. The purchases totalled approx. SEK 10 million. According to the procurement rules, their procurement should have been made with competitive bidding and public announced, so that various tenders would have had the opportunity to submit a tender. This was not done, and the purchases constitutes illegal direct awards, according to a decision of the Swedish Competition Authority.

“If more companies are offered the opportunity to submit tenders, the possibility increases that it is the best tender that offers the best quality at the best price will be awarded the contract. This serves the best interests of both patients and the taxpayers,” emphasises the Competition Authority’s Director General, Karin Lunning.

However as such a long time has elapsed since the purchases were made, it is not possible for the Swedish Competition Authority initiate proceeding in a court to demand that a general fine or procurement fine shall be imposed on the County Council of Västerbotten.

Read the decision (in Swedish), dnr 297/2016