Here are the most risky tenders of 2022, eight of the ten contracts with the highest value result in "red flags", from irregularities in the procedure, to problems for the race and competition, the data about the winners is clarified

Open Data Albania has analyzed the 100 tenders with the most contract value for the year 2022. According to the data, 39 of them have limited procedures, bringing a high risk to the competition and competition. According to Open Data, the economic efficiency in tendering for these 100 tenders is deteriorating. "None of the tenders has guaranteed an offer less than 95% of the fund limit value. Even the main part has this level of 99.9%". Eight of the ten highest value contracts for 2022 result in Red Flag risk for procedural irregularities, race and competition issues. The Albanian Road Authority held among these three main tenders during 2022.

Here are the tenders

The expansion of the Elbasan-Qafë Thane road (Phase 1) is the tender with the highest value for 2022. The Procuring Authority is ARRSH. The winning company Alb-Buidling and the value of the Winning Offer 2.18 billion Lek. The procedure of this contracting is open International. The winner was announced in October, while 4 competitors with the lowest bid were disqualified during the evaluation. 6 economic operators participated in the competition. The second contract with the highest value is the tender of the Albanian Road Authority. The contract is worth 2.165 billion ALL and was won by ANK. Construction object of the Korçë - Erseke road (Lot 2). This tender has also been marked with a Red Flag, due to the disqualification of all competing operators except the winner. The third place with the highest value is the contract with the object "Traffic monitoring center", won by the union of operators led by MC Netëorking in cooperation with Intera Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirk, and Gjoka Konstruksion, worth 2.12 billion ALL without VAT. Likewise, this contract has the ARRSH as the procuring authority, and it also has a Red Flag as a sign of irregularities. The construction of the National Theater phase I, is ranked the fourth procedure in order of value. This tender was developed by the Municipality of Tirana. The winning bid is 1.84 billion ALL and during the procedure all operators were disqualified except the winner Agi Kons in cooperation with BE-IS. In fifth place is the contract for the supply of oxygen and gas for medical use with procuring authority the Ministry of Health, won by the Union of Economic Operators GTS shpk and Messer Albagaz with a successful bid excluding VAT of 1.62 billion ALL. The tender shows competition problems (Red Flag) due to the development of the competition with a single competitor. The AIS organization monitors every day tenders of the main sectors in the country such as Road Infrastructure; Infrastructure Development; Health; Local Government Contracts; Contracts of Public Companies.

DASH concerns

Seeing the frequent problems with tenders in Albania, we also remember the strong messages of the American State Department. The latest DASH reports on the "Investment Climate" have identified corruption, the lack of transparency in tenders, the weak implementation of contracts as well as the vicissitudes that remove foreign investors in Albania who bluntly say that "Albania is a country difficult to do business". "Reports of corruption in government procurement are common. The continued use of Public Private Partnership (PPP) contracts has reduced opportunities for competition, including from foreign investors, in infrastructure and other sectors," the US reports.