The army buys trumpets for 300,000 francs in the United States – the Swiss offer was cheaper

The army buys trumpets for 300,000 francs in the United States – the Swiss offer was cheaper

The army is causing discord: the military music of the army purchases 48 trombones in the United States instead of national production. In the Canton of Thurgau, politics is irritated. Defense Minister Viola Amherd should explain.

Christian comb / ch media

The dissonances related to the purchase of instruments for Swiss military music are not new. Already two years ago it became known that the army was largely unpatriotic with foreign instruments – instead of letting the small but refined Swiss producers come into action. They could not even bid in the past.

This has changed in recent contracts – 300,000 francs for 48 low trombones – though. The result remained the same: the order goes abroad, in the United States and in France. Swiss companies have ceased their activities. Including the well-known Thurgau company "Blaswerk Haag" – and that although the Weinfeld company even offered a lower price.

The decision makes you angry

The procurement policy of this army, which is based on the law, not only pissed off many parliamentarians, but now also the councilor of the Thurgau government SP Cornelia Komposch. The head of the Justice and Security Department then wrote the new Defense Minister Viola Amherd.

The melody of the letter: even if the decision can no longer be shaken, ask for transparency and opinion. "We are interested in knowing why the United States and France won the contract," said the letter of 4 January to the newly elected Federal Councilor.

Not understandable

In the canton of the production company, one is no less astonished by the weighting of the award criteria: 70 percent concerns quality and only 30 percent of the price.

"It is incomprehensible why the offer made by instrument manufacturer Thurgau Blaswerk Musik Haag regarding trombones was judged to be much worse in terms of quality", writes Regierungsrat Komposch. Above all because the company enjoys an excellent reputation both nationally and internationally. "The tools guarantee high quality."

Furthermore, Article 37 of the Procurement Regulation states that the cheapest bid must be awarded. "From our point of view, which is certainly one-sided, the assignment is therefore crucial to the application," said Komposch.

Faithful to the army

As a military director, she has been repeatedly called "this very strange allocation", says Komposch, explaining her intervention. That a very qualified Thurgau instrument manufacturer offered, but the order went to the United States at a significantly higher price, "even personally it bothered me a lot".

The letter also refers to current US policy. Finally, Komposch reminds Federal Councilor Amherd that the canton of Thurgau "has always been loyal and closely linked to the army". "It is about transparency and trust in this matter."

Until yesterday, a response from Bern did not arrive in the Canton of Thurgau. That the new federal councilor of military music will blow the march, however, it is hard to expect. Probably the indigenous brass band must adhere to the following motto: the firm trumpet can dig the stone. (Aargauerzeitung.ch)