The Togolese Regulatory Authority for Public Contracts (ARCOP Togo) delivered its verdict on June 19, 2026, closing the case on allegations of irregularities surrounding the international tender for the Lomé Electricity Grid Expansion Project (PEREL PLUS), identified as tender reference 003/DPI/PRMP/DG/CEET/2026.
After reviewing the investigation report and conducting hearings with the Public Procurement Responsible Officer of the Togo Electricity Company (CEET), the Dispute Resolution Committee (CRD) concluded that the complaints lacked substance.
Tender process faces scrutiny but meets all regulatory standards
Two anonymous complaints, filed on March 28 and April 8, 2026, alleged multiple procedural flaws in the tender managed by CEET, including:
- An allegedly restricted shortlist without proper prequalification steps;
- An overrepresentation of foreign bidders;
- The absence of market lot allocation;
- The continuation of qualification criteria deemed excessively stringent.
However, the CRD’s findings confirmed that the tender process was meticulously structured around an official prequalification phase, which successfully shortlisted nine candidates from fifteen expressions of interest.
PEREL PLUS tender gains approval from technical partners
The tender documentation also secured non-objection clearance from both the National Directorate for Public Contracts Control (DNCCP Togo) and the French Development Agency (AFD), which is financing the project.
The Committee emphasized that in projects funded by external resources, the lender’s stipulations—particularly concerning lot structuring—take precedence over certain national regulations.
