We have been working with a wide range of suppliers for years, applying high standards of social responsibility. In our work with suppliers, we are committed to building long-lasting ties and partnerships, because all activities carried out by contractors are carried out as PSE activities. and affect the image of our company as an investor.

Legal regulations

As a contracting entity, PSE conducts contract award procedures for public and non-public supplies, services and works pursuant to the Act of 11 January 2019 – Public Procurement Law (PPL Act) together with implementing acts and the PSE Procurement Procedure (hereinafter: Procedure).

Conditions for participation in the procedure

Contractors eligible to compete for a PSE contract must meet the following requirements:

• be authorised to conduct of a specific business or activity as required by law;
  
• have expertise and experience;
  
• have appropriate technical potential and personnel capable of performing the contract;
  
• meet the regulatory requirements regarding their economic and financial situation, be not subject to exclusion from the contract award procedure.

Contract award procedures

The manner of conducting public procedures is specified in detail in the PPL Act and in the PSE Procurement Procedure.

In order to maintain the transparency of activities, we prepare and conduct all public and non-public procurement procedures in compliance with the principles of:

• fair competition,
  
• impartiality and objectivity,
  
• equal treatment of contractors,
  
• transparency.

Fair competition principle

The fair competition principle provides each interested party with equal access to procurement information and to contracts themselves. This applies, among other things, to a description of the conditions of participation in the procedure, the manner of submitting representations, requests, notifications and information. Sometimes individual tendering procedures impose a minimum number of potential contractors to ensure compliance with the fair competition principle. The application of the principle of fair competition also implies the need to describe the subject of the contract in an unambiguous and exhaustive, accurate and comprehensible manner, taking into account all the requirements and circumstances that may affect the preparation of a tender, as well as specifying the requirements that ensure that access to the contract is available only to reliable contractors.

The fair competition principle applies also to contractors. The submission of a tender that constitutes an act of unfair competition is a basis for the rejection of the tender.

Equality principle

The principle of equality, also known as the “principle of equal treatment of tenderers” means that all contractors are treated on an equal footing based on identical criteria and implies prohibition of discrimination of individual contractors on grounds of their legal status, location or characteristics. The contracting entity may not apply requirements that give preference to a particular contractor. The equality principle applies both at the stage of setting conditions for participation in the procedure, and during the evaluation of tenders or selection of the most advantageous tender.

In practice, this means that the conduct of the procedure in a manner that guarantees equal treatment of contractors requires that:

• requirements are defined in the same manner for all contractors interested in being awarded a contract,
• the same method is defined for confirming compliance with the requirements for all contractors,
• by comparing information and documents submitted by the contractor with the requirements, it is determined whether contractors meet the requirements, and a decision is taken according to the evaluation results.

Transparency principle

Applying the principle of transparency means establishing clear and unambiguous rules of conduct. This means openness of the procedure, understood as access of all interested participants of the procedure to related information on an equal basis, and taking all actions with maximum impartiality and objectivity.

Contracts awarded

PSE cooperates with a large group of suppliers. In 2023, the company awarded 485 contracts for the implementation of investment projects, supply of goods and provision of services to 389 suppliers for the total amount of PLN 4,418,342,974.

As much as 98.54 percent of the value of contracts was awarded to contracting parties from Poland, and 1.46 percent to contracting parties from other European Union countries.

The main groups of PSE’s contracting parties included contractors for capital, modernisation and overhaul projects on grid assets, suppliers of equipment and gear, and service providers.

Our procurement policy is pursued in compliance with the Act of 11 January 2019 – Public Procurement Law, together with implementing regulations issued under the Act; Directive 2014/25/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors, Directive 2009/81/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the coordination of procedures for the award of certain works contracts, supply contracts and service contracts by contracting authorities or entities in the fields of defence and security; and Commission Interpretative Communication on the Community law applicable to contract awards not or not fully subject to the provisions of the Public Procurement Directives (2006/C 179/02).

In working with suppliers, we care about building lasting relationships and partnerships. This is especially the case as all activities carried out by contractors are performed as PSE activities and affect our company’s image as an investor. Therefore, it is so important to maintain high standards and coherent guidelines on the cooperation of contractors with local communities which we foster on a daily basis.

The year 2023 saw an increase of PLN 2 billion in the value of contracts signed by PSE, which included many large investment contracts signed by the Central Investment Unit (CIU). CUI’s four largest contracts, with a total value of PLN 1.95 billion, are as follows:

• Expansion of the 400 kV Mikułowa-Świebodzice line and expansion of the 400/220/110kV Mikułowa substation and the 400/220/110 kV Świebodzice substation,
  
• Framework agreement for construction works from 2022 to 2026,
  
• Framework agreement for the supply of HV and EHV cable systems,
  
• Construction of the 400 kV Choczewo substation.
  

Ethics and transparency in relations with business partners 

In accordance with the PSE Procurement Procedure, all persons directly or indirectly involved in procurement procedures are required to comply with generally applicable laws, the rules under the Code of Ethics, the compliance system, good purchasing practices and other internal regulations in force in our company.