On June 19, 2026, the Dispute Resolution Committee (CRD) of Togo’s Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (ARCOP Togo) delivered a landmark ruling, dismissing all allegations of procedural irregularities surrounding the international tender No. 003/DPI/PRMP/DG/CEET/2026. This tender, part of the Lomé Electricity Network Expansion Project (PEREL PLUS), had faced multiple denunciations questioning its legitimacy.
The CRD’s decision, labeled No. 024-2026, followed a thorough investigation and testimony from the Public Procurement Responsible Officer of the Compagnie Énergie Électrique de Togo (CEET). After careful review, the Committee concluded that the accusations lacked substantive evidence and were entirely unfounded.
Procedural integrity confirmed despite public concerns
Two anonymous complaints, filed on March 28 and April 8, 2026, had raised serious concerns about the tender’s execution. The complainants alleged several procedural flaws within the CEET-led process, including:
- A restricted list without proper prequalification steps
- A disproportionate representation of foreign firms
- The absence of market lot allocation
- Overly stringent qualification criteria
However, the CRD’s findings contradicted these claims. Investigations revealed that the tender process was rigorously supervised through a formal prequalification phase, which successfully narrowed down 15 interested candidates to just nine eligible participants.
PEREL PLUS gains clearance from technical partners
The tender documentation underwent rigorous scrutiny, receiving no-objection approvals from Togo’s National Directorate of Public Procurement Control (DNCCP Togo) and the Agence française de développement (AFD). This validation underscores the project’s compliance with international funding standards, particularly those set by external financiers.
The CRD emphasized that in externally funded projects, the lender’s regulatory framework takes precedence over certain national procurement rules—especially concerning lot structuring. This clarification reinforces the legitimacy of the PEREL PLUS tender process, which is co-financed under AFD’s development program.
