CGC: Skopje's 150‑bus tender ran three times; winning bid wasn't cheapest

The Center for Civic Communications (CGC) says the public tender for 150 new buses in Skopje was run three times over a 15‑month period and that the eventual winner did not submit the lowest price. The CGC's analysis lists multiple inconsistencies in the procurement process, including repeated changes to the tender conditions and the technical description of the electric vehicles.

Main findings of the CGC analysis

The report points out that repeating the procedure reduced uncertainty — participants, prices and offers became known after each round — which, the CGC warns, increases the risk of coordination among bidders. In the second tender the Hungarian firm Ikarus Electric Zrt and the Chinese company Zhongtong Bus Holding competed separately; in the third round they submitted a joint bid that was selected as the most favourable.

The CGC notes that the joint offer chosen in the third tender was originally higher than Zhongtong’s previous offer by 492,000 euros and higher than Ikarus’s previous offer by 60,000 euros (with VAT). The total procurement value is 60 million euros, of which 57 million are earmarked for the buses and 3 million for charging stations.

Another point raised is that the future electric buses will have a significantly smaller capacity than the current vehicles operated by the public company: they will carry a total of 66 passengers — up to 30 seats fewer than buses obtained from EU sources, the CGC says. The centre also states that the Ministry of Transport and Communications did not provide requested documents and the analysis used to justify the changes to the tender documentation.

The Ministry replied after the CGC publication, saying electric and gas buses cannot be compared and asserting the procurement was fully transparent and carried out in accordance with the Public Procurement Law.

The opposition Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) reacted by saying the tender was apparently repeated three times in order to adjust conditions and align the competing firms.

The Mayor of the City of Skopje, Orce Gjorgjievski, said the municipality has prepared teams and crews to work on the infrastructure so the city will be ready when the first batch arrives. "All teams and crews have already gone out to work so that when the first batch of buses arrives we are ready with the infrastructure," he said. Earlier attempts to renew the fleet included two unsuccessful tenders. During the mandate of mayor Danela Arsovska, proposals for new buses were submitted several times to the City Council but councillors from VMRO‑DPMNE did not approve the item. The procurement is presented by the transport authorities as the first fleet renewal in 14 years and a measure to ease traffic congestion.

Report: Irena Chachkova

Photo: press material from the event