EBRD set restrictions to Serbia for granting loan to purchase smart meters and equipment for Power utility company EPS. Domestic producers will be able to work only as subcontractors on the job procurement of electricity meters in Serbia.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which finances the project, as a condition for granting a loan to Serbia, has set strict requirements – to respect their terms and conditions, according to the “Electric Power Industry of Serbia”.
Despite very rigorous limits of European bank, EPS managed to reduce the general evaluation criteria.
– Bank stipulates that the tenderer must have at least 2.5 times more transaction than the estimated value of the business, which would mean 145 MEUR in this case – explain in EPS. – However, EBRD has accepted our proposal of 75 MEUR, in order to allow the participation of as many bidders as possible. In the event that the bidder may offer part of the services or equipment specified in the tender documents and cannot meet the general evaluation criteria, he is eligible to participate in the tender as a subcontractor.
Under the EBRD rules, territorial discrimination is not allowed, which means that EPS was not able to prohibit foreign companies to participate in this tender.
– Domestic meters producers are unable to participate in the tender for the procurement of IT and measurement infrastructure, devices and integration, which only partly includes the purchase of electric smart meters – say in our public company.
Due to very strict rules, the Bank has allowed the pooling of several companies in order to fulfill the required conditions.
