The digitalisation of public procurement from 1 January 2024 was supposed to represent a qualitative leap towards simpler tender management. But an operational block occurred due to the numerous malfunctions of the new system managed by ANAC to the detriment of local authorities and economic operators.
Despite ANAC's announcements on the progress of the digital process, the Municipalities continue to suffer delays and inefficiencies with the aggravating circumstance of the sanctions issued against them by Anac itself.
For this reason, 153 mayors have already shared the open letter, addressed a few days ago to Anac by Asmel, an association of over 4,400 local authorities, to ask for an urgent discussion and overcome the chaos of digitalisation while respecting the roles of the institutional actors involved: that of policeman but also of manager of the Authority and that of supervised but also of victims of the Municipalities. The letter, already signed by 700 mayors in the rest of Italy, in fact, highlights how the Authority which badly manages digitalisation from its Roman headquarters, violating obligations and derogating from the deadlines of the Code, however issues financial penalties to the contracting bodies (from June 30th even up to 10 thousand euros).
Now also Massimiliano Fedriga, Governor of Friuli and President of the Conference of the Regions, writes to the President of the ANAC as well as to Minister Salvini, aligning himself with the arguments set out in the open letter of the Mayors and underlining that the contracting authorities note «a substantial worsening in the times and in the methods of carrying out any type of procedure”.
The Secretary of Asmel, Francesco Pinto, remarks that «The 700 signatures of the Mayors in so few days demonstrate that the Municipalities are at the forefront in urging the affirmation of digitalisation which should lead to simplification and transparency of procurement, but which started off on the wrong foot significantly slowing down the progress of the races. In the meeting with ANAC, requested by us and today also shared by the President of the Regions, we will bring concrete proposals to achieve one of the qualifying objectives of the PNRR”.