Why are the road safety agency's mobile laboratories, costing 2.5 million leva, not yet in use? (PHOTOS)

When will we see the two mobile laboratories for road research in our country, owned by the State Agency for Road Safety (SABS) and costing 2.5 million leva, in operation? It's kind of strange to have modern mobile laboratories and not use them because of… lack of insurance?

What is it about
This is about an organized public procurement from 2023 for nearly 2.5 million leva. The order stipulates the delivery of 2 pieces of specialized equipment (mobile laboratory), as well as training of employees of the CONTRACTOR.

Price For the implementation of the subject of the Contract, the CONTRACTOR (DABDP) undertakes to pay the CONTRACTOR (a company – the name of the company is on the DABDP website, where public procurements are announced, but in this case the company has fulfilled its contract, so it is not the subject of the material) a total price of 2,083,225.84 excluding VAT, respectively 2,499,871.01 including VAT. This is in accordance with the CONTRACTOR's Price Proposal. As part of the price, the CONTRACTOR undertakes to deliver specialized equipment (mobile laboratory) with its registration in the Traffic Police. It is a vehicle brand …., model Multivan Life (note - the price of one such van at the brand's distributor in Bulgaria costs about 100,000 leva with VAT) in the amount of 1,507,038.65 excluding VAT (note - price with equipment), respectively 1,808,446.38 with VAT included.


The price for the delivery of specialized equipment (mobile laboratory) No. 2, subject of the Contract, the same brand and model, is BGN 576,187.19 excluding VAT, respectively BGN 691,424.63 including VAT (note - with the equipment).

The indicated prices are final and include all costs and remuneration of the CONTRACTOR for the implementation of the subject of the contract, as well as but not limited to: the costs of acquisition, respectively transfer of ownership of the vehicles and equipment, for their delivery and transportation to the place of performance, for payment of a product fee (eco-tax), for conducting initial training for the inspection of the road infrastructure of 10 employees of the CONTRACTOR, the costs of eliminating by the CONTRACTOR all technical malfunctions and damage that occurred through no fault of the CONTRACTOR and covered by the warranty conditions and the CONTRACTOR's warranty liability, as well as the costs associated with registering the vehicles with the Traffic Police and INSURING THEM FOR A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS.

The subject of this Contract, including the indicated prices, does not include the CONTRACTOR's expenses for periodic vehicle maintenance during the warranty period, which are at the expense of and organized by the CONTRACTOR, etc.

The CONTRACTOR pays 100% (one hundred percent) of the price 5 (five) days after signing the registration protocol with the Traffic Police, provided that the specialized equipment (mobile laboratories) has been handed over with the Acceptance and Delivery Protocol.

In the public procurement itself, things are agreed upon, implemented and paid for. But there is one small detail. ARE THE TWO VEHICLES NOT YET IN USE?

What are mobile laboratories
Generally speaking, these are two multivans that are equipped with specialized equipment that can measure road width, markings, slopes, asphalt wear, etc. Given what is happening on our roads, we really need such vehicles. Because through them we monitor road wear, respectively, instructions are given for pavement improvement, repairs, etc. But… To date, the two vehicles are NOT IN USE. This prompted us to send questions to the State Agency for Road Safety (SARS). Here are the answers we received:
Question: On what date were the two vehicles handed over to the State Agency for Road Safety, after the public procurement contract was fulfilled?
Answer: With the signing of the acceptance and delivery protocol dated 26.09.2024, the acceptance of the delivery of 2 pcs. of specialized equipment (mobile laboratory) has been completed.
Question: Are the two vehicles in question used for road condition research?
Answer: The purpose of purchasing the mobile laboratories is to survey the road infrastructure using a vehicle equipped with various modules, the purpose of which is to carry out monitoring (360˚) and survey/inspection of roads and roadside areas, so as to provide reliable, accurate and timely information about the characteristics of the surveyed object.
Question: Are there enough trained employees of the State Agency for Road Safety and Road Safety to work with them?
Answer: In implementation of the concluded contract for awarding the public procurement, training was conducted for 10 employees of the agency, who will conduct surveys of the road infrastructure.
Question: If they are used - how many times have they been used, on which sections, what have they found? If they are not used - why are they not used? Is it true that insurers do not want to insure the two mobile laboratories… What is the problem, why don't they want to?
Answer: At the moment, the mobile laboratories for examining the road infrastructure HAVE NOT PERFORMED INSPECTIONS (ed. – in the first answer it is clear that the two cars were received on September 29, 2024). There are two main reasons for this. First of all, according to the instructions for use of the manufacturers of the specialized equipment, the equipment can be used in certain weather conditions, which EXCLUDE THE WINTER PERIOD.
Next, for the safe use of the specialized equipment when carrying out inspections of the road infrastructure, it is necessary that THE SAME BE INSURED AGAINST THE CORRESPONDING RISKS WHEN ITS MOVEMENT ON THE ROADS, related to the possibility of its damage or destruction. This type of insurance is not a mass and developed product due to the specific operating conditions, namely during road traffic, due to the location of part of the specialized equipment - outside the vehicle and due to its value.
Insurance of the equipment and its safe use on the roads is pending.

From the end of September 2024 to May 2025, insurance of the oversized equipment of the two vehicles cannot be concluded? The vehicles have been handed over to the State Agency for Road Safety (SARS) with Civil Liability and Comprehensive Insurance, covering theft and damage to the vehicles for a period of 12 months. The insurance also covers the specialized equipment. And this is where the problem arises.

As a clarification, the SARS replied to us as follows: “The difficulties we have are related to the insurance of the specialized equipment when it is in motion.“

And why is this insurance not included in the contract so that the two vehicles can already be used… We will continue to monitor the topic to see when the two vehicles will hit the road. Not that it matters, but they cost 2.5 million. leva.