Ministry favoured single bidder, says insider.

(From The Slovak Spectator)

THE DEFENCE Ministry is planning to buy two military transport aircraft for E80 million even though the manufacturer, Alenia of Italy, won the deal in a tender in which it submitted the only bid.

State officials have refused to provide details of the tender, which was won by Alenia's new C-27J Spartan model last December. But according to the Sme daily, Alenia's competitors for the contract -- CASA of Spain and the US firm Lockheed Martin -- were both excluded from the tender before the final round. The Defence Ministry thus had only one model and one price to choose from.

Defence Ministry spokesman Vladimir Gemela did not answer a question as to how the state could be certain it was getting the best plane at the best price, given that there were no offers to compare it with. He said only that the ministry remained in talks with Alenia on the final contract, and that no details would be given.

However, a ministry source who requested anonymity to be able to speak freely about the selection of the Spartan, said that the tender conditions had been designed to favour Alenia. "They knew all along who they wanted," he said.

Then there was one

The tender had three rounds -- a pre-qualification round, during which the bidders handed over their basic company documents as well as proof that they were entitled to enter the tender; the qualification round, where bidders submitted financial documents and references; and a final evaluation round, when the firms presented their aircraft and monetary bids.