The Polish company Pojazdy Szynowe PESA Bydgoszcz SA will supply 35 motor trains to Bulgaria, announced by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTS). This happens after the company Stadler Polska Sp. Z.o.o., ranked first, withdrew from the procedure and requested termination of the contract for the supply of seven double-decker trains financed with funds under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, the announcement states.
The department recalls that on April 26 of this year a contract was signed for the supply of seven double-decker trains. The original deadline for the contractor to submit a bank guarantee was 30 working days from receipt of notification of secured financing. After a reasoned request was sent by Stadler, the deadline was extended by another 52 working days. The deadline for submitting the bank guarantee expired on July 22 and it has not yet been provided, which is another confirmation of the company's refusal to fulfill the contract awarded to it, according to the transport department.
„During the negotiations between the Ministry and Stadler, many efforts were made to reach mutually beneficial solutions, within the framework of the law. On the part of Stadler, ultimatum requirements were set, changing even the scope of the contract, which went far beyond the framework of non-essential changes, which in itself is inadmissible under the Public Procurement Act. This is the reason why they were not accepted by the Ministry. The company's decision to terminate an already concluded supply contract, as well as to withdraw from a procedure – both of great national and public interest, does not correspond to good trade relations.
Despite everything, we are in a continuous dialogue with the European Commission and will make maximum efforts to implement the reform in the railway sector in full and on time, laid down in the Recovery and Sustainability Plan,” said the Acting Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Gvozdeikov. quoted in the press release.
On June 26, during the Green Transition Forum 4.0., Georgi Gvozdeikov announced that the negotiations for the 35 motor trains have ended and a contractor has already been selected. The rolling stock will be purchased with funds under the Recovery and Resilience Plan. The Polish company Stadler Polska Sp. was chosen as the contractor. z o.o. The proposed price is BGN 642.5 million, and the delivery period is 28 months, Gvozdeikov said then.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications proceeded to contract without prior notice for the supply of 35 electric locomotives given the complexity and specificity of the order. “All this happened according to clear criteria and methodology, which were similar for all 4 companies that came to negotiations, the acting minister also stated.
Georgi Gvozdeikov emphasized that efforts are being made to absorb the entire financial resource under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan.