Treasury Minister revokes TS computerization tender

Treasury Minister Aldona Kamela-Sowinska has annulled the tender for the computer system operator for Totalizator (TS), won by G-Tech, on account of numerous irregularities. She has likewise introduced changes in TS's supervisory board, thus delaying the choice of a new head. According to Sowinska, there were no clear, precise or consistent procedures in the tender, with different conditions for each candidate. Furthermore, the procedure for awarding points to the participants was changed after the tender had begun. TS representatives strongly oppose the last charge, claiming that regulations concerning the points were clear from the very beginning and the same for every participant, whereas the annulled contract with G-Tech was more advantageous than the one previously signed with the same company. Last week Kamela-Sowinska ousted TS head Wladyslaw Jamrozy, citing the serious losses he incurred for the company. In the last eight months TS spent almost zl.7 million on legal fees. Even if the tender is repeated, there will be no time to introduce a new system, and G-Tech's contract from the previous tender expires in October, 2001.(Gazeta Wyborcza March 31-April 1, p.24; Rzeczpospolita, March 31-April 1, p.B1) J.K.