After ten years power utility EPS managed to end one of dozens of failed tenders for the procurement of smart meters equipment in the Electric Power Industry of Serbia. The French Atos and Serbian EWG got jobs.
The entire procedure has been completed without scandals and complaints, and EPS saved as much as 34 MEUR because the approved amount of this procurement was 60 MEUR.
For EPS is extremely important that tender finally was successful because of nearly two million obsolete and faulty electricity meters we are losing annually close to 25 MEUR.
The Anti-Corruption Council has recently recommended to the Government of Serbia to reconsider the procurement concept of computer equipment and measuring infrastructure, EPS devices and integration, as well as the qualification requirements of the tender for the smart meters procurement. The problem was that the tender conditions prevented the participation of local manufacturers, which offered far more favorable equipment. EBRD has also participated in the process, which prevented lobbying and corruption.
Among four submitted bids, Atos and EWG received the highest marks of EPS and EBRD technical teams, and the contract will be signed in September. From the competition dropped out three leading international manufacturers, including Ericsson, which together with Rudnap Group Meter & Control asked 31.7 MEUR. There were eliminated companies Landis + Gyr, Mikroelektronika AD from Banja Luka, whose bid was 33.8 MEUR, and Indra, who even offered 46.5 MEUR. The reason for their elimination was not only the price but also the quality of offered services.
The procurement of IT equipment and 250,000 smart meters for 26.7 MEUR will be entrusted to the best bidders.
Factory for measuring devices EWG is owned by Dejan Bodiroga. He has invested eight MEUR in the plant opened in Bor in July 2013th. The plant is the largest of its kind in Southeast Europe.
EPS says that Atos and EWG passed all the pre-qualification tests related to the quality and the price set by EBRD.
