The direct hiring, without a public tender, is expected to be approved at the next EMT board of directors meeting. The contract with Andersen will cover the pre-litigation phase, clause analysis, lawsuit preparation, and EMT's defense up to the first-instance ruling.
EMT justifies the direct award by arguing that these services are excluded from the Public Sector Contracts Law and that requesting other quotes would "unnecessarily delay" the filing of the lawsuit, forcing the disclosure of confidential documentation.
The 'Connected Cities' project, funded by European funds, envisioned a digital mobility platform. Indra Sistemas was awarded the contract for 11 million euros, but the execution deadline passed without the app being delivered. EMT had already imposed a fine of just over one million euros on Indra for breach of contract.
The City Council will also judicially claim the refund of the 9 million paid. Furthermore, the council risks having to return the European funding and face a potential penalty from Brussels that could exceed 20 million.
From the opposition, PSPV-PSOE councilor Elisa Valía announced they will vote against the award, requesting that more offers be consulted. She considers it unreasonable to make a "hand-picked" award of nearly half a million euros and warns that the contract does not cover defense in potential subsequent appeals.
