Financial control criticizes FOPH for awarding Covid vaccine application
Unreported workloads and a lack of transparency in the awarding of contracts: In a final report, the Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) reprimands the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) for awarding contracts for the Covid app.
The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) audited the procurement of the IT solution for the registration and organization of vaccination appointments at the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). The application of the appointment system with vaccination documentation cost around eleven million francs. After initial difficulties, the Covid app was used by the majority of cantons. In the meantime, the SFAO has conducted a corresponding Final Report submitted. For example, in the second half of 2021, the contractors would have invoiced the FOPH for services amounting to around two million. However, according to the SFAO, the billing was not questioned by the FOPH.
Missing work reports
Lump sums of half a million francs also remained unjustified: services which, according to the SFAO, should have been invoiced. In addition, the work reports required to check the accounts were missing, although the suppliers would have been obliged to provide them. One of the criticisms was that all contracts were only signed after services had already been provided and payments made.
The FOPH commented on the SFAO's criticism and acknowledged that the procedure for awarding contracts had not been in line with the usual processes, given the crisis situation and the urgency of the projects.
Source: SFAO
