A board deciding bids for the supply of a prefabricated hospital for coronavirus patients has been told it can continue with the process after an investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing.

The procedure had come to a sudden halt last week when opposition MP Jason Azzopardi claimed there was trading in influence because TEC Ltd had contacted a German firm, Roder, for a quotation to build the hospital two weeks before the call was made public.

The international call to construct the hospital was published on March 23 and closed three days later. TEC Ltd, Azzopardi said, is close to the Labour Party and had set up the tents used in Robert Abela’s leadership campaign.

Health Minister Chris Fearne had ordered the board adjudicating bids for the structure to suspend operations, pending an investigation into the allegations. He later said he had been informed the company denied the claims and had not bid for the project to build the field hospital.

A Health Ministry spokeswoman told Times of Malta the review carried out by the director general of the contracts department and the ministry’s permanent secretary had been concluded and the go-ahead was given to resume the project as planned.

The spokeswoman said the investigation found no evidence of trading in influence and that the issue had been “unduly politicised”, delaying the process by a few days. 

A total of 21 bids were received from companies and joint ventures interested in supplying the prefabricated hospital. Only 14 of these were filed with a financial bid and before the established deadline.

Health Minister Chris Fearne (left) had said the allegations made by Jason Azzopardi (right) were "completely unfounded".

The lowest bid for the project was for just under €4 million while the highest came from a consortium which offered a modular hospital for €29 million.

Some others were received after the 10am deadline on March 26.

However, the Health Ministry has already said that these late bids, as per tendering regulations, will not be considered.

The hospital extension must be delivered in eight weeks after the contract is signed and must include 60 ventilator-equipped intensive care beds.

The hospital will significantly increase Malta’s healthcare capacity, as resources are expected to be stretched by the virus pandemic.

The document provides for a penalty of €50,000 for every day after the deadline until the project is completed.