The Tax Agency of Catalonia (ATC) landed on the Zona Franca promenade in 2016. At that time, the administrative district, located between the municipalities of Barcelona and l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, was not the same as it is today. day. Thousands of officials from various departments of the Generalitat of Catalonia had not yet landed in modern office buildings. There was also no relatively close metro stop.
Seven years ago, a free bus service was established for employees of the Catalan hacienda, which took them to their workplace from the center of the Catalan capital. As reported by La Vanguardia in 2016, citing sources from the Department of Economy, assistance would be active until the suburban arrived at the location. But even though the Foc metro station, located about 300 meters away, has already been a reality since 2018, the Generalitat of Catalonia continues to renew the service.
This week, a new tender for buses for officials with a budget of 132,295 euros has gone out to public tender. The object of the contract is the "transportation service intended for the staff of the headquarters of the Tax Agency of Catalonia, located at Paseo de la Zona Franca, 46, in Barcelona, between January 1 and December 31, 2024 ”, reads the documentation.
In the area of justification of the need for documentation for the new tender, it is explained that in 2020 the “joint use” of the ATC transportation service with which the administrative district contracted at the time was agreed. It is argued, therefore, that the new contract will serve to “provide continuity to the ATC transportation service, as well as the collaboration with the administrative district.” In other words, officials from both services share coaches.
In this sense, sources from the Department of Economy of the Generalitat now say that the shuttle bus service “was not conditional on the arrival of the metro.” Without doubting that in 2016 someone from the department commented otherwise, they reaffirm that “formally it was not conditional.” In fact, they explain that it has been “renewed year after year.”
However, the arrival of the suburban train to the Free Zone did bring about some change: a reduction in shipments from fourteen to ten.
According to the conditions of the tender, five coaches will leave every half hour from Plaza Catalunya between 7:05 a.m. and 9 a.m. In less than half an hour, they will put an end to their tour in the administrative district. Meanwhile, they will make two stops, one in Plaza Espanya and another at the ATC building. The return expeditions, ending in Plaza Catalunya, will depart between 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
The company that wants to win the tender must present vehicles with at least fifty seats. The forecast for next year is to make about 2,500 trips. The deadline for submitting offers will end on November 29.
