According to a ruling by the Berne High Court, the parliamentary services must pay an IT supplier CHF 1.77 million in compensation. Following the reorganization of IT services, the Swiss Parliament is now also strengthening the Contracts and Purchasing Department.
The parliamentary services announced this on Friday. The reason for the notification was a ruling by the Berne Supreme Court regarding the IT application “Soprano”. This project to introduce a research tool for councilors was halted in May 2020 after it was found that the supplier could not provide a suitable solution under the contract signed two years earlier.
More control in the future
However, the design of the contractual obligations and the involvement of a specialized lawyer had a negative impact on the parliamentary services, the statement says. The Supreme Court awarded the supplier company CHF 1.77 million in compensation based on its lawsuit against the parliamentary services. According to the parliamentary services, the relevant provisions had already been made before the trial.
More lessons are now being learned from history. For example, the parliamentary services are building up their own competence for contract and procurement law, which will be staffed with a specialized lawyer. The tender is currently in progress.
The current cooperation with the National Office for Buildings and Logistics (BBL) in the field of purchasing will also be intensified; an agreement is concluded for this. Finally, an internal auditor should in future check compliance with the decision-making processes and applicable regulations.
(SDA)