Settlement
The debate about the hospital the UP faction requested will today most likely unfold along familiar patters. The UP will make a big deal of the out of court settlement between SZV and Vamed, the Austrian company that contested the outcome of the bidding process. Obviously, Vamed was more after recovering its costs after a complete reversal of the bidding process. After all, Inso finished first, BAM/Philips second and Vamed third.
The rumored, yet unconfirmed pay off for Vamed of €1 million sounds like a lot of money – and for many people it is – but it represents just around 1.7 percent of the winning bid of 59.5 million.
What is the alternative? Going to battle with Vamed in court could cost SZV most than the proverbial fistful of dollars. And besides it would put the whole hospital project on ice for an uncertain, but definitely long, period. In the meantime, referrals to foreign hospitals for which SZV forks over 230 million guilders a year, would continue.
The math is simple, so if anyone wishes to make a big deal of the settlement payment – whatever the real amount may be, we let you know right now: what’s the big deal?