Article 1 – Preamble – Scope of Application

The Athens Medical Association (ISA) is a self-funded legal entity of public law (NPDD) with its own assets, managed by the Board of Directors (BoD) in accordance with civil law provisions regarding the acquisition of rights, assumption of obligations, and general administration of its property.

The ISA is exempt from the provisions of Presidential Decree (PD) 496/1974, does not fall under the regulatory scope of Law 2286/1995 (as amended), and is not subject to PD 715/1979, except for those provisions concerning leases, rentals, purchases, and sales of real estate, where these regulations apply supplementarily.

The present Procurement Regulations govern:

• The procurement of goods,

• The execution of works, and

• The provision of services by third parties to the ISA.

This includes contracts for purchases, financial leases, construction works, civil engineering projects, or related services, as well as agreements for the acquisition or lease of land, buildings, or other immovable property.

Any procurement, service provision, or project assignment to the ISA must be preceded by a BoD decision and have allocated budget provisions in the current fiscal year.

Exceptions:

• Procurements ≤ €5,000 (excl. VAT) may proceed under simplified terms upon BoD approval.

• Procurements between €5,000–€30,000 (excl. VAT) require a three-member BoD committee to evaluate at least three bids following an ISA invitation.

• Procurements ≤ €1,500 (excl. VAT) may be authorized orally by the Treasurer, pending formal BoD ratification.

• In urgent/exceptional cases, the Executive Committee may approve expenditures up to €30,000 by majority vote, subject to subsequent BoD confirmation.

The BoD reserves the right to adjust these thresholds.

Article 2 – Procurement Approval

The Financial Management Department (FMD) is responsible for:

• Collecting procurement requests from ISA departments,

• Processing proposals, and

• Submitting recommendations to the BoD (or its authorized body) before initiating tenders.

The FMD’s proposal must include:

• Justification for the procurement,

• Type of assignment procedure,

• Specifications (quantity, technical requirements, delivery timeline), and

• Budgetary allocation.

In exceptional cases, the BoD may outsource tender drafting to specialized third parties.

The BoD determines the procurement procedure and budgeted expenditure for each contract.

Article 3 – Tender Procedures

Tenders are classified as:

1. Open – Any interested supplier may bid.

2. Closed – Only invited suppliers may bid.

3. Simplified (≤ €45,000 excl. VAT) – At least three suppliers invited; notice published on the ISA website.

Article 4 – Tender Notices

Tender notices must be clear and comprehensive, including:

• Tender type,

• Goods/services description (quantity, technical specs),

• Submission deadline,

• Evaluation criteria,

• Required documentation, and

• Payment terms.

The BoD defines the notice content.

Closed Tenders:

• Minimum 3 bids (exceptionally 2).

• Conducted by a BoD-appointed committee.

Simplified Tenders:

• Published only on the ISA website.

• Evaluated by a three-member committee.

Article 5 – Simplified Tenders (≤ €45,000)

The ISA may conduct simplified tenders by inviting ≥ 3 suppliers. The invitation (published on the ISA website) must specify:

1. Scope (detailed description of goods/services).

2. Budgeted expenditure.

3. Submission process (deadline, address).

4. Participation requirements.

5. Payment terms and penalties.

6. Delivery timeline and quality control.

Evaluation:

• The committee verifies technical compliance and ranks bids by cost.

• Tiebreaker: Committee may split the award or negotiate with tied bidders.

• Results are documented and submitted to the BoD for final approval.

Article 6 – Technical Specifications

Tender notices and contracts must include objective technical requirements to ensure goods/services meet the ISA’s needs. Specifications are drafted by the ISA’s competent departments or (exceptionally) by external experts approved by the BoD.

Article 7 – Publication Rules

The ISA ensures wide publicity for tenders via:

1. ISA website,

2. Summaries in ≥2 nationwide newspapers,

3. Posting at ISA headquarters, and

4. Direct distribution to interested parties.

Article 8 – Eligibility & Documentation

Bidders must submit documents specified in the tender notice. The BoD may require bid security.

Article 9 – Deadlines

• Minimum 10 days from notice publication (or website posting).

• May be reduced to ≥3 days in exceptional cases (BoD decision required).

• Extensions or modifications must allow equivalent response time.

Article 10 – Bid Submission & Validity

• Bids must be sealed, marked “OFFER,” and include:

  • Technical proposal (separate sealed envelope),

  • Financial proposal (separate sealed envelope).

• Valid for 90 days unless otherwise stated.

• Non-compliant or conditional bids are rejected.

Article 11 – Objections

Objections to tender legality must be submitted in writing within ≥3 days of the contested decision. The BoD rules within 5 days post-submission.

Article 12 – Evaluation & Receipt Committees

• Three-member committees (appointed by the BoD) evaluate bids and document recommendations.

• Receipt committees (distinct from evaluation committees) verify delivered goods/services.

Article 13 – Bid Opening & Award

1. Technical bids are opened first; compliant bids proceed to financial evaluation.

2. Award criteria (lowest price or best value) are predefined in the notice.

3. The BoD may:

   • Increase budget by ≤30%,

   • Adjust quantities by ≤30–50%,

   • Cancel or repeat the tender.

Winning bidders are notified and must sign contracts within 5 days.

Article 14 – Confidentiality

The ISA keeps technical/industrial secrets (marked “CONFIDENTIAL”) private for 2 years, unless required by law or litigation.

Article 15 – Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

Disputes fall under Athens courts’ juristiction, unless arbitration is specified in the tender.

Article 16 – Communications

All correspondence must be in Greek. Clarifications are shared with all bidders.

Article 17 – Transparency

These regulations are published on the ISA website. Participation implies full acceptance of their terms.

Article 18 – FMD Authority

The FMD oversees tenders and contract execution, unless the BoD delegates tasks to third parties.

Article 19 – Interpretation & Amendments

Unresolved issues are governed by public procurement laws. Amendments require BoD approval.

Article 20 – Effective Date

Effective upon BoD adoption (14/6/2018). Applies prospectively; ongoing procedures follow prior rules.

FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE ATHENS MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

President
Georgios Patoulis

General Secretary
Efstathios Tsoukalos