Czech government to decide on future of construction management systems: revamp or restart?

Transport Minister Martin Kupka (ODS) is set to present an analysis to the government on Wednesday that outlines two possible paths for the future development of construction management systems. The government will then decide whether to revamp the existing digital systems or start anew with fresh development. Kupka emphasized that the analysis will weigh the advantages and disadvantages of both options. Currently, he is working alongside Regional Development Minister Petr Kulhánek (STAN) and experts on a legislative amendment that would allow for the simultaneous use of both the old and new construction management systems.

Kupka’s analysis will focus on the technical state of the current systems and the procurement process behind their creation, where several errors might have occurred. “We now have more detailed information, both from the Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS) and from a recent court ruling that confirmed the findings of ÚOHS,” Kupka stated. The court ruling addressed procurement issues with the Ministry of Regional Development (MMR), leading to the cancellation of certain processes.

In October, the Regional Court in Brno upheld the decision of ÚOHS, which annulled an MMR tender for the digitalisation of construction processes. The tender was deemed problematic due to vague conditions surrounding the use of standard software. Companies competing to design the system were unclear on whether they could integrate existing programs or if they were required to build the system entirely from scratch. Additionally, the ministry failed to specify approval timelines, making it difficult for contractors to plan their work.

Kupka also highlighted updates from the Digital and Information Agency (DIA) concerning compliance with the Public Administration Information Systems Act, noting that MMR had violated the law by not submitting the systems for required approval before launch. The lack of this critical step occurred during the tenure of former Regional Development Minister Ivan Bartoš (Pirates), who did not seek DIA’s formal approval.

“This is the situation we face as we enter tomorrow’s government discussion. The key issue is the absence of a comprehensive description of how the system should function. A clear analysis of processes is crucial, and we need to ensure the final objective is well-defined. This is a basic prerequisite for any further progress,” Kupka remarked. He refrained from expressing a preference between modifying the existing systems or restarting the digitisation process entirely.

The digitisation of construction processes was launched alongside the new Construction Act on July 1, but officials and developers have reported various operational issues since its inception. Former Minister Bartoš was dismissed by Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) in late September due to the slow pace of digitisation, leading to the departure of the Pirates from the government.

Source: CTK