SARANDË, Albania – A new public procurement controversy has emerged in the Municipality of Sarandë after officials awarded a multimillion-lek contract to the highest-priced bidder, despite the existence of significantly lower offers that could have saved taxpayers millions, local media say.
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| The Municipality of Sarandë building, where officials face public scrutiny and transparency questions following the award of a multimillion-lek kindergarten reconstruction contract to the highest-priced bidder. |
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| Official public procurement document displaying details of the tender for the reconstruction of Kindergarten 2 and Kindergarten 3, awarded to L.T.E Construction by the Municipality of Sarandë. |
Highest Bid Wins the Contract
Three economic operators participated in the procurement procedure. However, instead of selecting the lowest financially advantageous offer, the contracting authority declared the most expensive bid as the winner.
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| Official tender document comparison showing the competing bids for the kindergarten reconstruction project in Sarandë, highlighting the financial gap between the lowest proposal and the winning contract. |
The submitted offers were:
- BOE "NEWGEN" SHPK & "INERTI" SHPK – 38,971,085 lekë (lowest bid)
- "INA" SHPK – 42,580,559 lekë
- "L.T.E CONSTRUCTION" SHPK – 49,478,399.28 lekë (highest bid – declared winner)
The winning offer is approximately 10.5 million lekë higher than the lowest proposal, raising questions about whether public funds were used in the most efficient and transparent manner.
Who Owns the Winning Company?
According to records from Albania's National Business Center (QKB), L.T.E CONSTRUCTION SHPK (NIPT: L78006801F) is administered by Artur Caushaj.
The company is owned by three members of the Caushaj family:
- Ilir Caushaj – 34%
- Erjon Caushaj – 33%
- Artur Caushaj – 33%
Questions Over Transparency
The decision to disqualify lower-priced offers while awarding the contract to a bidder whose price is close to the maximum available budget is likely to attract public scrutiny.
Public procurement rules generally aim to ensure equal treatment of bidders, transparency, and the efficient use of taxpayers' money. When substantially cheaper offers are rejected in favor of a significantly more expensive one, such decisions typically require clear and well-documented legal and technical justification.
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| National Business Center (QKB) registry details for L.T.E Construction SHPK, detailing the company's administrator and its owners from the Caushaj family. |
Whether the Municipality of Sarandë's evaluation was fully justified under Albania's procurement legislation remains a matter that could draw the attention of oversight institutions and the public.