Polish Ministry of Defense to cancel tender
The Armament Inspectorate in the Polish Ministry of Defense (MoD) will cancel a tender for the charter of two small planes for VIP transportation, Polish news portal TVN 24 reported.
The tender was announced only in March and so far only two companies have expressed the will to participate.
“Because of the fact that only two companies filled in petitions and tender rules required at least three, we have began the cancellation procedure,” MoD spokesperson, Jacek Sońta, said.
The Ministry of Defense will now rethink whether the tender will be re-announced with changed requirements, TVN 24 reported.
The tender comes in aftermath of the 2010 crash of Polish Tu 154M that had President Lech Kaczyński, First Lady Maria Kaczyńskiaand many Polish military and government officials onboard. As a result of the crash, a military unit responsible for VIP transportation, the 36th Special Aviation Regiment was disbanded, and two Embrarer 170 planes to be used for long distance flights, were chartered from the Polish airlines PZL LOT.
According to Polish President Bronisław Komorowski, tender for the purchase long-distance planes for VIP transportation should be announced following up next parliamentary elections in 2015.
The Ministry of Defense was looking to charter two planes capable of transporting 12 to 19 passengers. According to tender requirements, planes had be powered by at least two turbojet engines and be capable of doing trans Atlantic flights without the need of in-air refueling. Required range was estimated at 5,0000 km. and cruise speed, at 800km/h. Planes would need to have been produced later than in June 2004 and be fitted with satellite communication devices.
