Thursday, April 16, 2026

Headlines

public procurement

The infamously notorious “Siltumserviss Rīga” operators are also involved in the engineering communications builders’ cartel

In the engineering communications companies’ cartel, two groups of companies can be distinguished – those based in Riga and those based in Rēzekne – which mutually coordinated their activities in 33 procurement procedures, most of which were procurement tenders by various municipal property management authorities. In Riga, these companies are SIA Adapteris, SIA Alpex and SIA Infrakom, while in Rēzekne – SIA Siltumtehserviss and SIA Apkure IM, said the acting chair of the Competition Council at a press conference […]

New construction cartel uncovered: Illegal agreement links five companies

The Competition Council has adopted a decision establishing a cartel among five construction companies. In fines, the companies together will have to pay more than half a million euros. The Competition Council promises to reveal the names of the companies tomorrow – on 11 September – but for now it discloses that the illegal agreement has affected more than 30 procurements throughout the territory of Latvia. The Competition Council identified the first construction cartel in 2021. At that time […]

Despite the declared winner, in three Riga schools children will be catered without a tender by “Baltic Restaurants Latvia”

“Contracts have been concluded with caterers in all Riga schools” – with this announcement on Thursday, August 28, came Riga Vice Mayor Vilnis Ķirsis and the acting director of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, Ivars Balamovskis. However, they did not specify whether the contracts were concluded with the winners of the procurement or with someone else. Inc. already wrote at the beginning of August that, due to the sluggishness of the Riga City Council, there was a risk that several […]

Tax debtors will be allowed to participate in public procurements: To win, however, the debt will have to be paid

When reforming the public procurement system, the Ministry of Finance reviewed the conditions for excluding bidders and decided that, once the Saeima approves the drafted bill, tax debtors will also be allowed to participate in future procurements. However, in order to win a tender, the debt will still have to be paid off on the day the decision is made. At present, there are 12 mandatory criteria applied to bidders which, if not met, prevent a bidder from being admitted to the tender. According to the planned reform, there will now be […]

Due to the Riga City Council, children in Riga schools may be left without lunch

For several months now, the Riga City Council has been delaying the signing of contracts with the companies that won the right in the spring lottery to provide catering for children in 25 Riga schools. Meanwhile, the previous caterers, who were less fortunate in the 53-million-euro draw, are refusing to vacate the premises of the school canteens, the winning companies report. There are three weeks left until the start of the school year and the first food portions – for the companies that […]

The impossible audit – the State Data Inspectorate has announced a procurement to carry out an audit of the IT platforms used to support the 2025 municipal elections

The State Digital Development Agency (VDAA) on June 26 announced a procurement to carry out an audit of the IT platforms used to support the 2025 municipal elections. Interestingly, the agency apparently expects that someone will carry out such an audit in a single working day. The procurement documents indicate that the contract performance period is theoretically 15 days, however, given the overall scope of work and the requirements set for the bidders, as […]