The Liberec Region must re-evaluate the selection of the contractor for the second stage of the riverbank

Liberec - The Liberec Region will reconsider the selection of the contractor for the second phase of the waterfront in Liberec, as the Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS) found that the minimum required value of one of the parameters was not met by the winner. The news was reported today by the region's spokesperson Andrea Fulková. The competition was challenged by an unsuccessful bidder for the contract, and the antitrust office sided with them. The region waited four months for a decision, resulting in significant delays in the construction.

The construction of the waterfront is part of a billion-crown project to develop the lower center of Liberec. It began in 2014 when the region purchased buildings and land neighboring its headquarters from VÚTS (formerly the Research Institute of Textile Machines). The region paid 125 million crowns for an area of more than 11,000 square meters. The waterfront follows the first phase, which included a parking house for 244 cars that the region opened on January 2. The construction of the waterfront was supposed to start in the spring, and significant changes will also be made to the damaged areas around the regional office, which have so far served as a parking lot.

The project will also include a new direct entrance to the regional office via a footbridge, which was already included in the original design by architect Zdeněk Plesník in the late 1960s. Workers will extend the access stairs, and in addition to greenery and the footbridge, there will be refreshments, public toilets, a water feature, and a children's playground. "The main thing is the descent to the Neisse River, allowing visitors to approach the river and dip their feet in the water." David Pavlišta, a co-author of the project from the studio re: architekti, stated earlier to ČTK.

"The Liberec Region selected a contractor from six bidders at the beginning of the year, who was supposed to complete the waterfront and its surroundings," added Deputy Governor Zbyněk Miklík (Pirates). The contract was awarded to CL-Evans with a bid of 130.316 million crowns, but the selection was challenged by Gardenline at the ÚOHS and succeeded. "According to the ÚOHS decision, the minimum required value of a parameter is not met for one of the offered materials. Specifically, it was about the slipperiness of the supplied granite,” Miklík clarified.

The region will not appeal the decision of the antitrust office. "We have asked CL-Evans and other participants in the procurement process for additional information. If the winner is unable to supplement the information and meet the required conditions, we are prepared to conclude a contract with the other participants based on their ranking in the procurement process," Miklík added. Next week, regional councilors aim to approve the selection of a contractor and start construction as soon as possible.