Benidorm’s local government maintains that the lighting for its Fiestas Mayores Patronales will be installed for the switch-on on Friday 6 November at 6pm, despite an appeal against the original award of the service contract.
Fiestas councillor Mariló Cebreros said on Tuesday that installation was already under way and that the lights would be ready for the start of celebrations scheduled for 6 to 11 November.
Her response followed the PSOE’s complaints about delays in installation and its criticism of planning by the Partido Popular local government.
Opposition questions the timetable
Socialist spokesperson Cristina Escoda criticised the fact that, three days before the official switch-on, many streets still lacked their decorative lighting, attributing the situation to a lack of forward planning.
Cebreros rejected the criticism and urged opponents not to create uncertainty among those involved in the fiestas. She said lights were already being installed in central streets and pointed to Friday at 6pm as the time to judge the outcome.
Cebreros maintains that the splendour of the celebrations will not be affected or compromised by the situation.
From an appeal to urgent procurement
The council launched the tender for special lighting for the patron saint fiestas and the Christmas season in August, with two companies taking part.
According to the Socialist group, the original contract was awarded in late September to Iluminaciones Ornamentales Iluminart for €169,279, including VAT.
The other bidder lodged a special appeal with Spain’s Central Administrative Tribunal for Contractual Appeals, suspending the original procurement process and prompting the council to seek an alternative for the fiestas.
A negotiated procedure without prior publication was launched on 23 October on grounds of extreme urgency. Cebreros defended it as a route provided for by law that allowed the council to meet the timetable.
Five invitations and one bid
Five companies were invited to the new procedure, including the business that had challenged the first award. That company was the only one to submit a bid and was awarded the work on Friday 30 October, according to the published report.
The councillor said the company had been installing lights since Monday 2 November and recalled that businesses have the right to challenge tender awards.
The PSOE questions the invitation to the appellant, while the government defends the solution it adopted to keep the announced switch-on date.
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