Bratislava, April 12 (TASR) – Defence Minister Peter Gajdos (Slovak National Party/SNS) told media on Thursday that he has sent to EU and Slovak Journals an announcement on scrapping the international tender for purchasing the so-called mid-range 3D radars that was announced in June 2015.
The Gajdos-led ministry decided to officially scrap the international tender, as Slovakia has not been able to purchase the 3D radars through it after three years of trying. “An announcement on the termination has been sent to both EU and Slovak Journals and firms that have joined the aforementioned tender will be notified about it, too,” said the minister. The tender will be officially scrapped as soon as the announcement is published in the Journals, he added.
Gajdos will submit a proposal to the Government for further action soon. It should happen in early May. The purchase of 3D radars should be extended to include small and short-range radars. The minister wants to suggest that comprehensive radar equipment is procured through an inter-governmental contract.
“Regarding the failure to conclude the international tender announced back in 2015 after almost three years, I will suggest to the Government a type of government-to-government acquisition. Based on an operational request from the Armed Forces, the procurement will include three kinds of radars – medium, small and short-range,” stated the minister.
If the Government okays the plan, Slovakia will contact producers of this kind of equipment through governments. “After the answers are received, individual bids will be assessed and the most advantageous one will, naturally, win,” said Gajdos.
The Defence Ministry announced the tender in June 2015. The contract’s sum was estimated at €60 million (excluding VAT). The ministry wanted to buy three medium-range 3D radars with the first two being delivered by the end of 2016 and the third one in 2020. The contract should have included an option for a potential fourth radar.
