Latvia: industry complaints lead to relaunching tactical wheeled vehicle competition.

Latvia has decided to relaunch the competition for the purchase of tactical wheeled vehicles that was won by Finnish company Sizu with its GTP 4x4. Indeed, two competitors have lodged a complaint against that victory.

Sisu GTP 4x4 (Picture source: Sisu)

In 2018, Latvia’s Ministry of Defense awarded to Finland’s Sisu Auto a €181 million ($197 million) deal for GTP 4x4 armored vehicles, Aaron Mehta recalls on DefenseNews. But the contract was overturned in early 2019 by a government watchdog after two bidders — AM General and Paramount Group — filed complaints over the process. Turkish firm Otokar had also bid on the program but doesn’t participate to the complaint.

So, now, more than 10 companies are filing offers for what will be a government-to-government agreement for a final contract. The price for the new contract will depend on the eventual winner and is not locked in at the Sisu contract level. No decision will be taken before early 2020, after intense testing will have taken place under harsh winter conditions. Long-term maintainability will be closely scrutinized: the country is focused on building up its domestic industrial base, so that much of the maintenance on its new equipment can be done in-country, in case of conflict.