The federal agency in charge of regulating public procurements has removed close to four dozen suppliers from its blacklist. The Agency is also allowing these companies to participate in tenders floated by the government.

Mentioning the economic slowdown that was caused by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Public Procurement & Property Administration Agency has removed the bans it imposed on 45 companies. The suppliers were banned from participating in any kind of bid by public institutions for violating procurement laws during the last fiscal year. During the past fiscal year, the Agency banned 58 suppliers.

Promising International Trading, one of the major wheat suppliers, Minaye Plc, Orex Construction, F.deutsch GMBH and Teda Trade Works Plc are the companies that were reinstated by the Agency. Except for Promising International that was banned for a year, all of the companies were barred for six months. They were blacklisted for refusing and failing to deliver various projects as per their contracts and failing to sign contracts after they were announced as winners.

"We pardoned the companies, realising the impact of the virus on them," said  Setegn Gelan, public relations director at the Agency. "We lifted the bar to help the companies retain their employees."

Six months ago, the Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs issued a protocol that prohibited all private companies from laying off workers.

While pardoning close to four dozen companies, the Agency still placed a ban on 13 suppliers from taking part in any bidding process due to the gravity of the faults they have committed, according to Setegn.

"They've been found involved in corruption and fraud," he said. "They'll be banned from participating in any bidding process until the suspension period ends."

With the Agency's law, companies that have been involved in fraud and corruption are subjected to two years of suspension. Companies that failed to meet the contract will be banned for half a year to two years depending on the gravity of the fault. Blacklisted companies will not take part in the bidding process of public offices.