This article was published on March 4, 2025, at 3:16 p.m. on the ChosunBiz RM Report site.
The Fair Trade Commission has launched an on-site investigation into five companies to confirm whether collusion occurred during the bidding process for the procurement of uniforms for police, correctional officers, and customs.
According to the related industry on the 4th, the Fair Trade Commission is investigating whether there was bidding collusion by dispatching researchers to the five companies, including The Hertz, Jade Green Grape, Mountain, Woojeong Company, and National Wealth.
These companies are known to manufacture and supply uniforms for police and correctional officers and have consistently participated in public procurement bids. The Fair Trade Commission is looking into the possibility that these firms may have colluded by pre-selecting the winning bidder and adjusting bid prices during the bidding process.
Collusion in public bidding often occurs when parties meet before the bids or contact each other by phone to pre-determine the expected winning bidder, and then use emails or messengers to share quotes and adjust bid prices. Even if a specific winning bidder is not explicitly designated, there is a possibility that companies sharing quotes may effectively raise their bid prices based on that information.
The Fair Trade Commission plans to conduct a focused investigation based on the secured bidding documents and internal materials from the companies to determine whether collusion occurred systematically and whether there are repeated cases of similar methods. If it is found that the companies colluded to adjust bid prices, they could face sanctions for violating the Fair Trade Act.
A Fair Trade Commission official noted, "We cannot confirm whether an investigation is in progress or provide details," but added, "If any violations of the law are confirmed, strict action will be taken."