28% of Catalan contracts have only one bidder.

The Catalan Competition Authority (ACCO) is calling on the Generalitat (Generalitat), local authorities, and public entities to introduce changes to the specifications to increase bids and reduce costs.

The Catalan Competition Authority (Acco) called on Monday for the Generalitat (Catalan Government), local authorities, and public entities to introduce changes to public procurement with the aim of increasing the number of bidders, fostering greater competition among them, and thus achieving greater efficiency in public spending.

After analyzing all the applications processed between 2017 and 2024 in Catalonia, the agency chaired by Roger Loppacher reveals that in 28.2% of the open tenders, there was only one bid.

Furthermore, three out of every ten euros awarded correspond to projects with no reduction in price compared to the base tender amount . If at least three companies had participated in all tenders, it is estimated that the awarded amount would have fallen by 3.53%, which equates to a saving of more than 234 million euros in absolute terms.

There is "a clear positive correlation between the number of offers and the discounts on the economic proposals submitted," Acco asserts.

The regulatory body is demanding that tender documents eliminate "unjustified" solvency requirements that currently limit bid submissions, especially by SMEs. It also demands clauses that encourage competition among bidders.