Škoda takes Helsinki tram contract to Finland’s top court
FINLAND: Škoda Transtech has appealed to Finland’s Supreme Administrative Court against its exclusion from a Helsinki tram tender, asking for contract signing with Stadler to be suspended until the case is resolved.
Finland’s Market Court dismissed Škoda Transtech’s challenge on 27 March, upholding Helsinki Metropolitan Area Transport’s decision to exclude the Czech-Finnish manufacturer from a tender for up to 183 trams. Škoda Transtech announced the appeal on 19 May.
The suspension request, if granted, would freeze the contract pending a final ruling. Škoda argues that Stadler’s price already exceeds the original budget ceiling — a claim it says is supported by the city councils of Helsinki and Vantaa being asked to approve additional funding.
Market Court upheld exclusion on technical grounds
Helsinki Metropolitan Area Transport cited three grounds for the exclusion: delivery delays under previous contracts, alleged undue influencing of the tender process, and failure to meet 10 mandatory technical requirements out of 1,570 in total.
The Market Court dismissed the undue influencing allegation. It upheld the technical compliance grounds, finding that Škoda Transtech’s offer failed the mandatory requirements. Škoda Transtech rejected that conclusion, arguing the ruling reflected a formalistic reading of its bid that ignored the actual technical parameters of the solution it offered.
What the suspension request means
Škoda Transtech has asked the Supreme Administrative Court to issue an interim measure blocking contract execution with Stadler Polska for 63 Tango Nordic trams — built in Siedlce, Poland, with options for 120 further vehicles and a 30-year maintenance agreement — until a final ruling is reached.
Škoda Transtech, which manufactured trams for Helsinki for more than 13 years from its Otanmäki factory, argues that a full evaluation of both offers would have shown its bid to be the more favourable.
Zdeněk Sváta, Chairman of the Board of Škoda Transtech and COO of Škoda Group, said the company had submitted a competitive bid representing a significant technological advance for Helsinki’s network, and that the exclusion did not reflect basic principles of equality or fair competition.