Weko: Suspicion of price fixing by civil engineering firms in Neuchâtel
Published: Thursday, Nov 30th 2023, 08:00
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The Federal Competition Commission (ComCo) suspects that three civil engineering companies in the canton of Neuchâtel have colluded on their bids and prices. It has therefore opened an investigation, as it announced on Thursday.
House searches have already been carried out at several companies, the Competition Commission wrote. However, results are not expected soon. An investigation usually takes two years. The companies not mentioned by name are presumed innocent.
Specifically, the case concerns possible bid-rigging agreements. This is the case when companies agree among themselves on the price at which they want to bid and to whom they want to award a procurement contract. There were indications in Neuchâtel that the companies had made such agreements for public and private sector procurements over several years.
Submission agreements increased prices, made companies inefficient and inhibited innovation, wrote the ComCo. They were therefore a burden on the economy and the public sector.
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