public tenders
December 11, 2009, 10:00 CET
ORTT to call tender for last free Budapest radio frequency
Hungary's frequencies authority ORTT on Wednesday decided to call a tender for the last free radio frequency in Budapest. A tender for the 92.9 MHz frequency is expected to be called in the middle of January and a decision could... [read complete entry]
December 07, 2009, 08:40 CET
2010 budget targets Ft 101 billion from state asset manager
The 2010 budget targets revenue from the management of state-owned assets of HUF 101.4bn, about the same as the HUF 100bn targeted for 2009. The budget targets HUF 38bn from privatisations, including HUF 34.5bn from the sale of real estate,... [read complete entry]
December 04, 2009, 12:27 CET
Deputy head of national asset manager resigns following criminal convicion
Fulop Benedek, deputy-CEO of Hungary's National Asset Management Company (MNV), tendered his resignation to Finance Minister Peter Oszko on Thursday. Mr Oszko accepted the resignation. Mr Benedek was sentenced on Tuesday to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for three years probation... [read complete entry]
November 26, 2009, 09:31 CET
Surprise result in insurance tender for National Ambulance Service
Generali-Providencia Insurance is to insure the vehicles of the National Ambulance Service for HUF 151.5m as against the originally estimated HUF 248m, the results of the tender were published in Wednesday's issue of the Public Procurement Gazette. The tender was... [read complete entry]
October 13, 2009, 09:48 CET
MP targets state-run job centers with bill to boost for-profit "brokers"
Hungary's state-run labour centres cannot effectively help the unemployed to jobs, the economic daily Napi Gazdasag said on Tuesday, referring to a bill submitted by liberal MP Janos Koka. The bill seeks to involve for-profit job brokers and ensure incentives... [read complete entry]
October 13, 2009, 09:16 CET
Gov't calls tender for training public employees in electronic administration
The Prime Minister's Office has called an estimated HUF 200m (EUR 742,942) open public-procurement tender to train public-administration employees to use electronic "one-window" administration, the Public Procurement Gazette reveals. The tender, whose value does not include VAT, is aimed at... [read complete entry]
August 18, 2009, 09:38 CET
Intrigue over big tender for renovating Budapest ice-skating rink heats up
A new public procurement tender has been issued for the renovation of the famous ice-skating rink in Budapest's City Park (Városliget) after an earlier one was found to have been unfair, writes index.hu, based on an MTI report. The Budapest... [read complete entry]
August 17, 2009, 09:20 CET
Sole bidder wins giant King's City casino tender
KC Bidding, related to the planned King's City tourist-complex at Hungary's Lake Velence, has won a concession tender for the establishment and the 20-year operation of a casino in the Central Transdanubia region, the Finance Ministry said on Friday. KC... [read complete entry]
August 11, 2009, 10:25 CET
New monitoring group to approve government-backed tenders
A monitoring group will be established to approve the issue of tenders worth over HUF 50m (EUR 187,341) that members of the government, governmental organizations operating under their authority and majority state-owned companies initiate after August 24, 2009, the latest... [read complete entry]
August 11, 2009, 09:55 CET
Procurement board rejects results of big infrastructure tender, citing irregularities
Hungary's Public Procurement Arbitration Board (KDB) has invalidated the results of a tender for infrastructure developments worth billions of forints after it found professional experts were misrepresented in the bids of both the winner and the runner-up, the National Infrastructure... [read complete entry]
August 07, 2009, 11:51 CET
Best Bids (II): Art-shipping firm perfects art of the no-competition tender
While we're on the topic of beautifully ugly public tenders in Hungary, we should mention a real masterpiece that recently came to our attention. Late last month it was announced that a company called Hungart Logistic Kft had won a tender worth Ft 175 million to transport 80 paintings brought in from various art collections for the "Turner and Italy" show at the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts. Which works out to just over Ft 2 million (just under €7,500) per picture, or (according to some people we know familiar with the deal) at least five times what it should cost. Unsurprisingly, this year's "Turner prize" was not the first such gilded contract for the firm, and probably will not be the last. [read complete entry]
August 07, 2009, 10:53 CET
Best Bids (I): Sole player for state-run casino tender "jackpot"
Let's finish out the week with some cheerful/appalling recent news about companies that for one reason or another seem to have a lock on particular juicy tenders. First up is this story in last Friday's Világgazdaság, from which we learned... [read complete entry]
July 28, 2009, 09:47 CET
Budapest court turns down challenge to canceling of mobile frequency tender
The Budapest Metropolitan Court (FB) has turned down an appeal by Digi Kft and DreamCom Kft challenging an April decision by the National Telecommunications Authority (NHH) to call off a tender for a new mobile phone frequency in Hungary, writes... [read complete entry]
July 22, 2009, 09:28 CET
Justice Minister says government working on faster, simpler administration
The crisis has left the ongoing reform of public administration unaffected; the government has initiated a number of changes to make procedures for individuals and businesses faster and simpler, Justice Minister Tibor Draskovics told reporters on Tuesday. Procedures of public... [read complete entry]
July 17, 2009, 11:53 CET
Hungary's state asset manager gets his ass fired, and good
It's been a blistering hot week in Budapest. But for one particular person in town it was even hotter. After months and months of negative publicity, on Tuesday Finance Minister Péter Oszkó finally gave the sack to Miklós Tátrai (left),... [read complete entry]
July 16, 2009, 11:07 CET
New tender for venture capital deals following failed first round
The National Development Agency (NFU) on Wednesday said it called a new tender for venture capital programmes in the Central Hungary region and convergence regions. Applications may be submitted until August 28. Decisions are expected to be announced by October... [read complete entry]
July 13, 2009, 11:04 CET
Controversial healthcare company HospInvest opts for liquidation
HospInvest will return the operation of the five hospitals it runs to the relevant local governments and will go into liquidation, shareholders decided at the EGM on Friday. Chairman Gábor Kollányi said HospInvest rejected bankruptcy protection, because in the present... [read complete entry]
April 09, 2009, 12:05 CET
Office in charge of handing out EU cash hands out EU cash to promote handing out EU cash
Despite all the gloomy talk about austerity, it's business as usual at the National Development Agency (NFÜ), the state body mostly known for handing out mostly EU-sourced cash to businesses across Hungary. According to various sources, the NFÜ has just... [read complete entry]
April 06, 2009, 08:59 CET
EU to back more infrastructure projects in Hungary
The European Commission has approved another three major infrastructure projects in Hungary, the government spokesperson said in an online news conference on Saturday.... [read complete entry]
April 03, 2009, 10:45 CET
Ministry gives green light for use of open source software in public sector
The use of open source software and connected services has been given the green light for the public sector, public education and higher education institutions, the deputy minister in charge of information technology and communications said on Thursday.... [read complete entry]
March 30, 2009, 11:20 CET
Opposition presents ambitious environmental strategy
Hungary's main opposition Fidesz on Saturday presented 500 billion forints (EUR 1.65bn) worth of environmental proposals aimed at financing green investments and reducing energy dependence.... [read complete entry]
February 09, 2009, 12:10 CET
Big IT tender for schools fails as HP, IBM bids declared invalid
A Ft 23 billion government tender for the supply of IT equipment, including digital blackboards, for schools has been declared unsuccessful, as both bids were invalid.... [read complete entry]
February 03, 2009, 08:29 CET
National Asset Manager calls Ft 200 million communications tender
Hungary's National Asset Management Company (MNV) has called a HUF 200m tender for communications services, the latest issue of the Public Procurement Gazette reveals.... [read complete entry]
January 20, 2009, 07:08 CET
Tender worth Ft 700 million called for Pécs "Capital of Culture" program
Public benefit company Hungarofest has published a HUF 700m negotiated tender to create and run the public relations campaign for the city of Pecs's 2010 European Capital of Culture Programme in the latest issue of the Public Procurement Gazette.... [read complete entry]
January 15, 2009, 09:22 CET
Magyar Posta plans electronic payment system
Magyar Posta plans to invite bids for the development of an electronic card payment processing system. The winner will have to design a system capable of handling 27 million transactions per year, as well as regular support and maintenance. Bids... [read complete entry]
January 12, 2009, 08:59 CET
Gov't calls tender for 46-kilometer stretch of M3 motorway
The government has called a tender for a HUF 50bn stretch of the M3 motorway in NE Hungary, Finance Minister Janos Veres said on Friday.... [read complete entry]
January 08, 2009, 03:43 CET
Ft 6 billion tender for "European Capital of Culture" project declared invalid
The local council of Pecs (SW Hungary) has declared a tender to build a HUF 6bn conference and concert centre - one of the main projects in the city's preparations to take the European Capital of Culture title in 2010... [read complete entry]
December 30, 2008, 10:39 CET
Gov't to spend Ft 300 million on financial crisis media campaign
The government will spend 300 million forints (EUR 1.3m) on a media campaign to present the effects of the global crisis on Hungary to the general public, government spokeswoman Bernadett Budai said on Monday.... [read complete entry]
December 11, 2008, 08:24 CET
Gov't shortens terms on subsidy payments to speed impact on economy
Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany promised Hungarians a "hair of the dog" cure for the effects of the financial crisis after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, unveiling regulations that will inject HUF 100bn-150bn into the economy.... [read complete entry]
December 10, 2008, 09:02 CET
Disappearing ink used to fill out employment books for motorway workers
Following hot on the heals of shocking revelations that children as young as 13 were working illegally on Hungary's M7 motorway, authorities have now uncovered the use of "disappearing ink" to fill out employment books on the M6 project. Labor... [read complete entry]
November 18, 2008, 09:54 CET
Overseer of Budapest's Metro 4 resigns as auditor uncovers big financial hole
The fourth metro line project is in chaos as its engineering supervisor Péter Jávor has resigned and the State Audit Office, after auditing the 2007 budget, has revealed payments without issued invoices that total Ft 2.3 billion.... [read complete entry]
November 17, 2008, 02:51 CET
Hungarian Prime Minister's Office signs Ft 1.2 billion in PR deals
Despite the ongoing financial crisis, the Prime Minister's Office (MeH) has signed Ft 1.2 billion (roughly €4.5 million) worth of contracts with three media companies, writes Index.hu, based on a report in conservative daily Magyar Nemzet.... [read complete entry]
November 07, 2008, 12:11 CET
Winner announced in PR tender for national motorway contruction firm
The National Infrastructural Development Corporation (NIF) has signed a contract with PR agency Double Decker following a communications tender announced this past summer summer, writes Kreatív Online. The agency will perform the tasks related to motorway construction for a lower... [read complete entry]
October 15, 2008, 03:33 CET
Time to cut the bull, and start cutting the budget
With Hungary widely considered at special risk from the current global financial crisis, it's no surprise that Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány has called for a "national summit" to discuss issues related to the market meltdown. It's not even particularly surprising... [read complete entry]
September 30, 2008, 04:14 CET
Tenders for military-owned properties fail to ignite bidding wars
Sometime tomorrow, the Hungarian government will officially launch a tender for the Taszar airbase, which, before it was closed in 2001, had the distinction of being the first U.S. air base in the former Soviet Bloc. From various news sources... [read complete entry]
August 13, 2008, 07:38 CET
Transparency International urges creation of public procurement database
The Hungarian office of anti-corruption NGO Transparency International (TI) has urged the government to create searchable databases of public procurements that describe contracts, show their value, and reveal the parties with whom they were signed.... [read complete entry]
August 06, 2008, 11:12 CET
Highway robbery plagues Hungarian motorway construction sites
While it is widely assumed that the high per-kilometer costs of building a motorway in Hungary is due in part to high-level corruption, a recent exposé (in Hungarian only) by financial portal portfolio.hu shows that petty corruption is playing a... [read complete entry]
August 05, 2008, 08:30 CET
Government cutting back on scheme to spread Internet use
The Hungarian government is cutting back a program launched in 2004 to help spread Internet access to small settlements, writes Fn.hu, based on a report in daily Magyar Nemzet.... [read complete entry]
July 31, 2008, 08:46 CET
Siemens executive concedes firm likely paid bribes in Hungary
German engineering giant Siemens very probably paid bribes in Hungary, both in the public and the private sectors, Laszlo Szentkuti, who heads Siemens Nemzeti Vallalat, one of Siemens' units in Hungary, said when asked by MTI at a press conference... [read complete entry]
July 30, 2008, 10:11 CET
Debt-ridden Budapest transport company plans Ft 100 million marketing blitz
Debt-ridden Budapest transport company BKV is planning to spend as much as Ft 100 million (over €432,000) on a new public image campaign, writes OrientPress, based on a (print-only) article in daily Magyar Nemzet. While the company has a debt... [read complete entry]
July 29, 2008, 08:53 CET
Hungarian SMEs starved for EU funds, advocates say
Hungary's small and medium-sized enterprises receive one of the smallest shares of EU subsidies in the European Union, writes Világgazdaság. With only 3.3% of EU subsidies earmarked for SMEs for the period stretching to 2013, this puts Hungary third from... [read complete entry]
July 29, 2008, 08:34 CET
State hands out Ft 13.7 billion in R&D grants
Hungary's National Research and Technology Office (NKTH) has awarded a combined HUF 13.7bn in R+D grants to 27 applicants, Hungary's R+D minister Karoly Molnar announced at a press conference in Budapest on Monday. The 27 winners - who will contribute... [read complete entry]
July 22, 2008, 12:15 CET
Report charges 25% of Hungary's EU cash goes out without public bids
Hungary's government has decided on which projects are to get EU funding, and a quarter of funds - 1,900 billion forints (EUR 8.2 bn) - are being disbursed without any public bidding process, said national daily Nepszabadsag on Tuesday. The... [read complete entry]
July 18, 2008, 08:29 CET
Distribution of EU funds widens income gaps in Hungary
The first wave of funds granted by the European Union to help Hungary catch up with mainstream Europe has increased inequalities in the country, national daily Magyar Nemzet said on Thursday. The latest figures of the National Development Agency (NFU)... [read complete entry]
July 09, 2008, 03:26 CET
Child labor fails to lower Hungarian motorways construction costs
In one of those stories that makes you wonder just how far Hungary is progressing in its efforts to be a "modern" European country, last week the regional newspaper Zalai Hirlap reported that a labor inspection uncovered the stunning fact... [read complete entry]
July 04, 2008, 12:48 CET
Low-budget sequel for sale of Budapest cinema building
The Budapest government is to make a second attempt to sell a 1,141 square-meter building holding the defunct Átrium movie theater, following an unsuccessful tender last year, reports Napi Gazdaság. The government has announced a one-round, open tender to sell... [read complete entry]
May 16, 2008, 11:36 CET
Meet the new lord of all Hungarian business
In a country where 50% of GDP ends up being recycled through the state, and many private businesses base their investment decisions on subsidies or grants handed out by the government, you don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to... [read complete entry]
May 14, 2008, 03:13 CET
Budapest Public Transport plans on selling what property they still own
Financially in a bind, Budapest's public transport authority seeks to sell more properties, with many questioning the wisdom of that decision. [read complete entry]
January 21, 2008, 11:38 CET
Private companies to play camera cops on Hungarian roads
Private companies are lining up to clock motorists and report them to police after an amendment passed last year makes it possible for local governments and public road operators to "document public road law violations." Investors see the new regulations... [read complete entry]
December 17, 2007, 08:07 CET
Budapest transport company does about-face on chip card tender
Budapest transport operator BKV has given up on a plan to outsource the management of a long-planned "chip card" ticketing system. [read complete entry]