The Italian Competition Authority targets an alleged bid rigging scheme in the health sector

In the Case I816 Servizi di raccolta e gestione dei rifiuti sanitari in Campania the Italian Competition Authority (ICA) has opened a new Article 101 TFEU targeting a bid rigging practice allegedly implemented by six suppliers in the health sector. The ICA started the investigation following the receipt of a complaint lodged by Soresa. Soresa is the public body entrusted with the procurement of the requirements of the health system of the region of Campania. In July 2016 it launched for the first time a competitive tender procedure for the collection and the treatment of the wastes produced by the hospitals belonging to the regional health system of Campania. The tendered out contract was divided in six lots. Soresa noted anomalies in the offers submitted by six bidders. They drafted their bids in identical terms. Moreover, they did not make overlapping bids as each of them bid only for a lot.

The ICA had concern that the six bidders may have entered into a collusion with the view to allocate between them the lots tendered out by Soresa.

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