The Coimbra Local Health Unit (ULS) started using facial recognition for attendance control this month, with just 0.66%—68 employees out of over 10,000—opting out. For those refusing, fingerprint biometric devices were installed as an alternative. The system was implemented progressively and the software was contracted to Sisqual Workforce Management.
However, the public tender behind this contract, awarded in 2024, is under legal challenge. AdvancingTo, a competing bidder, is contesting the award at the Administrative and Tax Court of Coimbra. The original 2021 tender saw several bidders: RISI ranked first, followed by AdvancingTo, Konica Minolta, and Sisqual. After court rulings excluded RISI and Konica Minolta, the scoring was re-evaluated: AdvancingTo’s score dropped sharply while Sisqual kept a perfect score, winning the tender.
AdvancingTo alleges the jury violated procurement principles and seeks annulment of Sisqual’s award, resulting in a court-ordered suspension of the contract pending final judgment.
Meanwhile, Coimbra ULS clarifies that the Sisqual contract wasn’t directly from the 2021 tender but was a one-year emergency solution due to the old system’s obsolescence, with monthly payments continuing until the court rules.
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