Objection to Panama ambulances with European specs

A $6 MILLION tender for ambulances for Panama’s Social Security Service (CSS) has been objected to because the technical constraints correspond to European specifications.

Ambulance Network Inc., one of the five companies that participated in the process of approval of tender conditions for the purchase of ambulances for $6 million, filed a claim, stating that the public act violates the arrangements set out in the Treaty of Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) between Panama and the United States (U.S.) in government procurements.

" … The tender conditions for the purchase of ambulances for the Social Security Department provides specifications that are framed within European standards, which puts an obvious disadvantage to companies in other regions and countries, including the U.S., at the time of participating in this tender," said Aurelio Ali Garcia, a lawyer for the company.
" … it violates section 9.7 of the Chapter on Government Procurement which clearly states that tender specifications should not have conditions which impede trade between the parties," reports Capital.com.pa