“Pedersen, Agentia Professional SRL and the George Butunoiu and Biris Goran association filed bids by the deadline,” people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.
The Economy Ministry confirmed the information in a later statement Tuesday.
The bidding deadline expired Tuesday, at 12:00 local time. The ministry said the winner will be announced “shortly.”
Pedersen & Partners was founded in 2001 and it ones of the largest executive search companies in the region. The company is active in 41 countries.
Butunoiu is active in human resources recruitment and consulting since 1992. He holds 60% of George Butunoiu Management Consulting. Law firm Biris Goran, founded in 2006, provides consultancy in taxes, realty, competition and mergers and acquisitions.
Professional SRL has a share capital or 19,000 lei (EUR4,436), 31% owned by the Euxinus Foundation, while Dragos Teofan Marian Munteanu holds 29% and Maria Cristina Pasat holds 40%.
The frame-agreement concluded between the Economy Ministry and the auction winner has a maximum estimated value of RON2.5 million, VAT excluded. The agreement has a one-year timeframe. Any bid overshooting the abovementioned sum will be inacceptable.
Andreea Paul Vass, adviser to Prime Minister Emil Boc, recently said the first 7-10 companies to have private management will make the move by the end of February 2012.
Companies targeted for private management include hydropower producer Hidroelectrica, chemical company Oltchim (OLT.RO) and mining company SNLO.
The private sector managers that will be appointed to lead Romanian state-owned companies could earn as much as EUR75,000 gross per month, plus millions of euro per year in the case of highly profitable companies, if they meet the performance criteria set in the contract, according to a bill. (EUR1=RON4.2822)