The Public Procurement Arbitration Committee has suspended conclusion of the contract for construction of the 34-km section of the M3 motorway between Nyiregyhaza (NE Hungary) and highway 49, the National Infrastructure Development (NIF) told MTI late on Thursday.

NIF emphasised in the statement that M3-HCZ 2009 Consortium had appealed against the result announced on January 21, 2010, under which the investment was to be continued, after NIF declared their offer to be invalid.

NIF said the consortium was excluded because they designated an expert in the bid who did not conform with the stipulations of the tender invitation, which later they changed for an expert who had been assigned to a different area, proposing a new expert for the given position, which the arbitration committee had prohibited in connection with another investment of NIF.

NIF therefore hopes that the Arbitration Committee will consider its proceeding as correct, the organization added.

The public procurement tender was won by C-S-K-K 2009 Consortium, which submitted the cheapest valid offer at HUF 32bn, not including VAT, the statement noted.

This consortium is led by Colas Hungaria, and its members are Strabag Construction, Kozgep Epito- es Femszerkezetgyarto, and Kelet-Ut Kft.

Six bids were submitted, four of which were declared invalid by NIF.

M3–HCZ 2009 Consortium is led by International Vegyepszer, and it includes OHL ZS a.s. as member.