The appointment of an Ombudsperson to adjudicate any complaints about procedural breaches in tendering processes will ensure procurements made by Europe’s meteorological satellite organisation, EUMETSAT, are carried out fairly and transparently, Director-General Phil Evans said.
The EUMETSAT Council today appointed José María Travesí García to a five-year term as EUMETSAT Ombudsperson and Lesley Jane Smith as his alternate."These appointments will give citizens in our 30 member states more confidence that EUMETSAT uses its funding properly and follows transparent, fair procurement processes," Evans said.
"We have an obligation to use our funding wisely and well, and the appointment of Mr Travesí García and Smith demonstrates EUMETSAT’s determination to ensure our processes are not only fair, but are seen to be fair."
The Ombudsperson will consider all relevant documentation and the parties’ submissions, before issuing a binding decision.
Mr Travesí García and Smith have long-standing experience in public procurements and in independent functions. Mr Travesí García was EUMETSAT’s Head of Financial Control and Internal Audit, reporting directly to the organisation’s council. Smith is the European Space Agency’s alternate Ombudsperson, reporting directly to that organisation’s council.
