In the second week of July, I got an urgent call from a potential client in the state. They wanted a proposal for a public tender-by invitation, limited to three companies.
I explained that we usually don’t respond to public tenders, because it often feels like the decision is already made. He insisted this time was different: they were genuinely looking for new proposals.
The twist? To participate, we had to register on a private platform (VORTAL | Powered by Hubexo) with a minimum 12-month license-costing about €2,000. I confirmed it was legitimate and that we had a fair shot. License purchased. Total silence.
By July 29, with 60% of our team on vacation, the invitation finally arrived—deadline August 1. And, surprise: the tender went to the same company as always. Apparently, they just needed to invite two more “papalvos” to make up the three-company bouquet.
Ready. That’s it.
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