• President of UOKiK Tomasz Chróstny has instigated two anti-trust proceedings against companies operating in the field of forest management.
• Entrepreneurs submitting tenders for forest management services organized by one of Pomeranian forest inspectorates might have concluded bid rigging agreements.
• They are liable to a fine of up to 10 percent of their annual turnover.

President of UOKiK Tomasz Chróstny has instigated anti-trust proceedings in relation to suspected conclusion of bid rigging agreements by entrepreneurs from Pomeranian Voivodeship operating in the field of forest management. They attempted to impact the results of the tendering procedure organized by Niedźwiady Forest Inspectorate in Przechlewo (Pomeranian Voivodeship) in an illicit manner.

- We suspect that the entrepreneurs whose offers might have been deemed the most favourable failed to fill them out as required by the commissioning party deliberately so that the more expensive one was selected. The entrepreneurs who have been charged with a prohibited agreement might have cooperated with each other at the tender preparation stage, which constitutes an illicit practice. Each participant of the tendering procedure should determine their offer and strategies of actions on their own. I have instigated anti-trust proceedings in this case, which may result in imposing a penalty of up to 10 percent of the entrepreneurs’ annual turnover, says President of UOKiK Tomasz Chróstny.

In the first of the tendering procedures subject to examination, the following companies are suspected of bid rigging: Leśnik “T” Mariusz Czekieryło, Usługi Transportowo–Leśne “TRANS-MAR” Marek Stasiak, and Usługi Wielobranżowe Józef Czekieryło. Whereas the other one involves the following companies: Anna Włodarczyk Usługi Leśne, Ryszard Maksym Radosław Maksym Firma Usługowa s.c., and Leśnik “T” Mariusz Czekieryło.

It is worth mentioning that the entrepreneurs failed to conclude agreements. Appeals were filed with the National Appeals Chamber by another tenderer who accused the remaining contractors of bid rigging. As a result of the appeals, both tenders were cancelled by the Forest Inspectorate.

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