THROUGH OPEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROCEDURE DBR IS LOOKING FOR A NEW PR AGENCY – ITS TASKS WILL INCLUDE FULFILLING COMMUNICATION RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

DBR issued a new open public procurement procedure for the provision of communication and public relations tasks in relation with the construction of metro 4. A year ago DBR informed the public that for the implementation of communication tasks of the European Union the company plans to amend the contract ending this year and increase the budget against the project's reserve. In the meantime, however, it became clear that the handover of the first section would occur at least two years later than planned, so a new contract is needed, and the competition law of the European Union - as the PR contract is part of the package supported - would rather prefer open competition. The contract of support and the associated agreements specify elements of the communication obligation in detail. Realization of these would be the primary task of the new PR agency over the next three years. The announcement has been issued in the official journal of the European Union today.

As it is known, following an open public procurement procedure in September 2005 BKV Zrt.’s DBR Metro Project Directorate signed a contract with the Sawyer-Miller Group as the lowest price bidder for the provision of communication and public relations tasks associated with the construction of metro 4. The contract with an overall value of 217 million forints would have originally ended at the end of 2010. Like other metro contracts, as a result of additional tasks associated with the technical difficulties and delays of the project and respectively the European Union communication activity as commenced on the go the PR agency's contract frame has also been spent ahead of time – in summer 2009.

DBR – as reported on that in an earlier communication – indicated the need for budget expansion for the Mayor’s Cabinet already in November 2008, and so the Cabinet granted a theoretical approval for the redistribution of funds necessary to carry out additional tasks against the project’s reserve. Negotiations commenced accordingly, however, in the meantime it became clear that due to the European Union’s competition law and respectively the accountability an open public procurement procedure should be called for the tasks. DBR – in order to be able to meet the minimum communication requirements specified by the EU in the transitional period – signed a contract of a 1,680,000 forints value per month with the agency in July 2009 (which is also available on the website of DBR), but at the same time began preparation for the new open public procurement procedure. Over the past one year period this process has been taking place. Eventually the winner of the tender will be the lowest price bidder. As of today the invitation to tender can be viewed in the EU’s official journal

For meeting the communication responsibility specified by the European Union the DBR may spend 100 million forints per annum in accordance with the support contract, which with reference to the next three years means a frame amount of maximum 300 million forints in total. It can be seen, however, that comparing to the volume of the project DBR has only spent the essential amount for communication up to now, and intends to follow this principle in the future as well – the communication with the previous as well as the now planned maximum amount together makes up only one and a half thousandth of the budget for the overall project. In accordance with the invitation to tender – among others – from this amount DBR will have flyers, newsletters for residents, brochures produced, the website and photo gallery updates provided, demonstrational films and posters prepared, and arrange press conferences, background discussions, press, civil and professional site visits, events for residents, open days and last but not least place out information boards also involving major expense, but prescribed by the European Union. Based on the invitation to tender, bidders will be required to provide prices for all part activities of each task. By this DBR intends to achieve that instead of a monthly agency fee the actual work performed is paid in every case, in a manner transparent to anyone, which is essential in terms of accountability to the European Union as well.