Westland questions air ambulance tender regulations

One of the bidders, Italian Agusta Westland, has serious reservations about the tender organizer, the Health Ministry. The company believes that the specifications eliminate its products from the bid. The Italians have lodged an appeal to the Public Procurement Office (UZP). "If the contractor believes that actions of an ordering party violate the law, they can express there objections and appeal to the UZP. The Office does not comment on such issues while examining a complaint," said UZP's spokeswoman Anita Wichniak-Olczak. If Agusta indeed goes out of the game, the tender could be threatened. According to Agusta Westland representatives, it turns out that the helicopters should not be longer than 13 meters without any technical or rational justification. Its Agusta A109 Power is only 4 cm longer, which according to the company makes no difference at all. Another requirement of skid landing-gear is also eliminating its wheeled helicopter while usually such type of choppers have wheel chassis. (Puls Biznesu, pp.1, 4) M.M.