The financial damage caused to the state budget by the Concentrated Purchasing Agency is worth €1,637,011 (200 million Albanian Lek) after the latter applied two orders issued by the Public Procurement Agency in violation of the law.
The State Supreme Audit discovered that the economic damage was mainly due to 2 violations:
- Some of the offers submitted surpass the fund limit and have not been disqualified; violating the law when calculating the offer, raising the price on how much the product’s real cost; estimated damage €592,506.
- As a result of assessing the bids according to guidelines set by the Public Procurement Agency “based on the sum of the price per unit”, and not the lowest prices, where subjects with the highest bid were proclaimed winners on the back of more qualified subjects. This phenomenon was noted in 12 procedures; estimated damage €1,044,983.
The Concentrated Purchasing Agency depends on the Interior Ministry and it is tasked to carry out costly tenders on behalf of the government for goods or services.
According to the State Supreme Audit, the main reason behind the loss of 200 million Albanian Lek are two guidelines issued by the Public Procurement Agency in breach of the law:
- “On the use of the framework agreement and its development by electronic means” to be implemented by all contracting authorities.
- “On the charge of the Concentrated Purchasing Agency for carrying out public procurement procedures, on the count of the Prime Minister, ministries, subordinate institutions, for some goods and services” to be implemented by Concentrated Purchasing Agency.
In light of the above, the State Supreme Audit recommended to the Concentrated Purchasing Agency to inform the Public Procurement Agency to set up a group tasked to look into the reasons as well as point out those responsible for the economic damage to the state budget.
A few weeks ago, eight officials from the agency were arrested on charges of corruption over a tender for police uniforms.
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