Complaint for HPP Otilovići failed due to a mistake in the name

Elektroprivreda chose the company "Vigoris Ecotech" DOO from Podgorica as the best bidder at the tender for the construction of the small hydroelectric power plant "Otilovići" in Pljevlja, a job worth seven million euros.

However, an appeal was filed with the EPCG commission by a consortium that signed with "Permonte/Banstroj Podgorica", and EPCG rejected the appeal as impermissible because a consortium called "Permonte/Banstroj" participated in the tender.

Owners of the firm "Vigoris Ecotech" from Podgorica Siniša Višnjić i Željko Savović, the owner of the appellant "Permonte" from Podgorica Branka Vujadinović, and the company "Banstroj" from Bosnia and Herzegovina Ramo Gutic.

EPCG announced this tender on May 30 of this year and it lasted until June 28, while its estimated value was 8,47 million euros with VAT (seven million euros without VAT). Three bids were received for the tender: the consortium "Permonte/Banstroj", the consortium "Elnos inženjering" and the company "Vigoris Ecotech".

On September 12, the offer of "Vigoris ecotech" was chosen as the most favorable, and it was worth 6.789.000 euros without VAT. There was a ten-day right of appeal against this decision.

The offers of the consortium "Permonte/Banstroj" and "Elnos inženjering" were excluded from this tender, because their declarations were not properly prepared. This is written in the tender documentation on the website for Montenegrin Electronic Public Procurement (CeJN).

Then, on September 23, an appeal was received regarding the selection of the most favorable offer, submitted by the "Permonte/Banstroj Podgorica" ​​consortium. EPCG already rejected this appeal on September 30, because they found that "the appeal was filed by a consortium that was not a participant in the tender."

"In the introductory part of the appeal, it is stated that it is submitted by the consortium 'Permonte/Banstroj' Podgorica, while this appeal is signed by 'Permonte/Banstroj' doo Podgorica Bojan Bosković authorized person of 'Permonte' doo, who were not participants in the tender, because neither 'Permonte/Banstroj' Podgorica nor 'Permonte/Banstroj' doo Podgorica submitted the offer. Given that the complaint was not filed by the bidder who submitted the bid, but by the consortium 'Permonte/Banstroj' doo Podgorica, the contracting authority rejects the complaint as filed by an unauthorized person in accordance with Article 189 paragraph 2 point 3 of the Law on Public Procurement," the decision reads. EPCG and it is stated that no document was submitted, which would confirm that Bošković is signing the complaint on behalf of the consortium.

Against this decision, an appeal can be filed with the Commission for the Protection of Rights in Public Procurement Procedures until November 14.

EPCG, when asked by "Vijesti" how long it would take to build this hydroelectric power plant, said that the expected period is 18 to 24 months, and that their expectation is that this small hydroelectric power plant will be in operation by the end of 2026.

"In the previous period, technical documentation was prepared for the power plant in question at the level of the Conceptual Project. In the last tender, the future contractor was asked to first prepare the main project, based on which the application for the construction permit will be submitted, and after receiving it, to start the implementation of the works", said EPCG.

The MHE "Otilovići" would be built next to the existing dam on the Ćehotina river, which was built for the purpose of supplying water to the Thermal Power Plant "Pljevlja" back in 1982. The power of the MHP would be about three megawatts, and it is expected to produce about 11 million kilowatt-hours per year, enough to supply about 1.200 households.