Competition Protection Commission Investigates Firms for Cartel in Public IT Equipment Procurement

Teams from the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) are conducting on-site inspections at the offices of companies as part of an investigation into a possible cartel in public procurement for the supply, installation, and maintenance of IT equipment, the regulator's press center announced.

The inspections are being carried out with the assistance of officers from the "Specialized Police Forces" department of the Ministry of Interior (MIA) following a court order from the Administrative Court Sofia-region.

The regulator points out that the actions in the offices are part of proceedings to establish a possible violation of Art. 15 of the Competition Protection Act and Art. 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, consisting of a prohibited agreement with the aim of manipulating public procurement procedures.

The press center notes that bid manipulations represent a form of cartel in which participants in public procurement coordinate their behavior in order to influence the results. Such practices lead to the illegal expenditure of significant public resources, and their investigation is among the commission's main priorities.

The proceedings were initiated following a report from the director of the General Directorate "Combating Organized Crime" at the MIA in his capacity as the contracting authority for public procurement.

The CPC adds that after receiving the report, an in-depth preliminary investigation was carried out, covering all relevant procurements for the period 2024-2026, in which the companies under consideration participated as competitors.

Within the framework of the preliminary investigation, data were found on the possible existence of a cartel in the form of bid manipulations, including coordination of actions between participants and predetermination of the choice of contractor.

The Commission notes that when conducting unannounced inspections, CPC employees have the power to access, review, and seize documents and records related to the activities of the companies, regardless of the information carrier. During the inspections, specialized equipment is also used, including a forensic laboratory, for the recovery, authentication, and analysis of digital data.

The press center points out that the direct and indirect evidence collected will be included in the existing materials on the proceedings to establish a cartel related to the manipulation of numerous public procurements, and after the completion of the procedural actions on the file, the commission will rule within its statutory competence.

BTA recalls that last week the management of the CPC and branch organizations discussed at a meeting the distortion of the market in agriculture.