The planned opening of bids for the annual procurement of drugs, organized by the state pharmacy institution Montefarm, was stopped at the last minute yesterday due to suspicions that there were privileged companies during the preparation of the tender documents in October, several sources confirmed to the "News".
The value of the annual procurement of medicines ordered by Montefarm is estimated at around 15,77 million euros, and it is mainly about medicines that citizens order by prescription.
Yesterday's halting of the annual procurement of medicines for the needs of the citizens of Montenegro called into question the recent assessment of the Minister of Health, Dr. Budimir Šegrt, that there is no fear of a shortage of medicines.
"It is true that the tender opening was not carried out because ADOC Beograd filed a complaint against the tender documentation", Montefarm director Dr. Radoman Dragaš confirmed to "Vijesta".
Montefarm will now submit an answer to the appeal to the Commission for the Control of the Public Procurement Procedure, but in the end it will not be decided by this commission, but by this commission.
According to "Vijesti" information, which director Dragaš did not deny in response to questions, bids were not opened at the Montefarma annual tender yesterday morning because the appellant claimed in his appeal that in the preparation of the tender documentation there was a violation of Art. 17 of the Law on Public Procurement.
It happened, namely, that only part of the suppliers, but not all of them, were aware of the estimated values of the prices of drugs (and quantities) for oral use on October 8 of this year, by email from Montefarma, but not all of them, one of whom is now complaining and trying to dispute the entire tender, because he was allegedly in an unequal position compared to the others.
Article 17 of the Law on Public Procurement, the violation of which was reported by a Belgrade firm, defines the conflict of interests of bidders, submitters of joint bids or subcontractors.
The Minister of Health previously stated that by mid-December the Montefarma tender will be closed and that all suppliers will be known, as well as all quantities, and that they will start immediately with full supply for 2016.
Such a projection is now impossible.
The apprentice also noted that "Montefarm is fully capable of ensuring proper supply of the Montenegrin market for all insured persons and that is the only and real truth in this matter".
At that time, he recalled that the contract with 107 private pharmacies was concluded in March, as a pilot project, and that it was scheduled to last until December 31 at the latest.
Not all suppliers received the email to recommend prices
Reliable sources of "Vijesti", for which there is evidence, claim that only 19 drug suppliers received an email from Montefarm on October 8 of this year, which sent specifications with the quantities of drugs and their estimated values. The goal of sending an email is feedback and comments.
That is why it is not surprising that some bidders from abroad, who were bypassed by Montefarm, by accident or not, eventually complained about the defined tender documentation of the annual tender.
The most interesting thing in the whole story is that Montefarm did not announce the estimated prices of medicines in accordance with the government regulation that has been in force since mid-August of this year, but in accordance with the perceptions of 19 selected bidders who, after emailing them back with suggestions and their remarks and assessments.
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