Transparent whirlpool: FAS vs. RAS • Troitskii variant • RIMA — Russian Independent Media Archive

Date

03/16/2010

Author

Hidden

Source

Troitskii variant

Preserved copy

Internet Archive

Translated material

Transparent whirlpool: FAS vs. RAS

In the previous publication of TrV, devoted to the problem of purchasing scientific equipment in the Russian Academy of Sciences (TrV No. 47, Transparent Whirlpool: continued ), a one and a half billion lot was mentioned, which included several dozen instruments of various types and purposes (registry number of auctions 091225/907872/98) . Only intermediaries can bid for this kind of auctions, since there are simply no companies in the world that would produce the entire range of equipment listed in the terms of reference. The only bidder in these cases was always Akademintorg , and a contract was always concluded with it at the maximum price. This is what happened with this lot. Judging by the price, this lot includes all the scientific equipment that the Russian Academy of Sciences (the central part) planned to purchase this year.

But this time there was a glitch in the long-standing system of academic “business on instruments”. One of Akademintorg's competitors in intermediary in the supply of high-tech equipment, CJSC Scientific and Technical Center "Expertcenter", filed a complaint with the Moscow Department of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) about this lot. The essence of the complaint was that “technologically and functionally unrelated equipment was combined into one lot.” The FAS recognized this complaint as justified and canceled the results of the auction for this lot. The Academy of Sciences was issued an order to stop violations of Federal Law No. 94-FZ. All documentation can be found on the website http://zhaloby-gz.fas.gov.ru/fas/ by entering the auction registration number (see above) in the search field. Now the Russian Academy of Sciences will either have to appeal this decision in court, or redo all documentation on the purchase of scientific equipment, which will certainly narrow the possibilities for financial fraud. This decision of the FAS is unprecedented and in many ways unexpected for most participants in the scientific instrument market in Russia.

A.K.