Μake us preferred on Google The Hellenic Organization of Cultural Resources Development (ODAP) has defended its handling of public tenders for commercial and visitor facilities at archaeological sites, insisting that the procedures were “absolutely transparent” and fully compliant with the law.
The agency issued a lengthy statement following decisions by the Hellenic Single Public Procurement Authority (HSPPA) to annul two tender processes covering archaeological-site shops, restrooms, storage lockers and related facilities. The cancellations prompted criticism from opposition parties and archaeologists.
ODAP maintains that the dispute concerns a legal question over the framework governing the contracts, rather than the transparency or terms of the tenders.
Dispute centers on the legal framework
The two open public bidding procedures were launched to lease groups of retail shops and facilities including restrooms, lockers and systems for controlling access to archaeological sites, with the successful bidders also required to provide cleaning, maintenance and operational services.
According to ODAP, the tenders were conducted under Presidential Decree 715/1979, which governs procurement, leases and other property-related transactions by public-law entities.
However, two economic operators, one for each tender, filed preliminary appeals with the HSPPA, arguing that the contracts should instead have been treated as concessions under Law 4413/2016.
The authority accepted the appeals and ruled that the concession framework, rather than the leasing rules used by ODAP, should have applied.
ODAP describes this as a purely legal issue and says the authority’s decisions did not question the transparency of the tender procedures or their specific terms.
Agency rejects allegations of tailored tenders
In its statement, ODAP emphasized that the sole award criterion in both competitions was the highest proposed total monthly rent for all the leased properties.
It also said that all legally required publicity procedures had been followed and that the tender documents included strict provisions to protect archaeological sites, in accordance with the Greek Constitution and the legislation governing cultural heritage.
The agency rejected media reports and opposition claims that the tenders had been designed to favor specific bidders or amounted to the sale of public property.
It stressed that neither of those allegations appeared in the HSPPA’s decisions.
ODAP says it will follow legal procedures
The statement was signed by ODAP board chairwoman Nicoletta Divari-Valakou.
The agency said it would take all steps provided for under the existing institutional and legal framework to address the issue.
The two annulment decisions concern the legal classification of the contracts and the procedures that should have been followed, ODAP said, reiterating its position that the original tenders were conducted lawfully.
