On May 23, 2024, Singapore’s Competition and Consumer Commission (CCCS) issued legal notices to Tarkus Interiors and Flex Connect (formerly Facility Link) for allegedly rigging tender bids exceeding S$7 million. The companies are accused of colluding in the tender process for supplying interior fit-out construction services to 12 non-residential properties in Singapore, including offices and retail spaces.

The CCCS’s Proposed Infringement Decisions allow the two firms six weeks to present their cases or additional information for consideration before a final determination is made.

Investigations revealed that between August 2016 and August 2021, the companies engaged in practices designed to manipulate bids. They reportedly exchanged information on quotations, allowing one company to submit a higher bid while the other benefited by securing contracts with less competitive pricing. For example, one party would request a higher supporting quotation from the other, which would then be presented to customers, eliminating genuine competition and preventing clients from receiving the best value.

The CCCS noted that such collusion undermined the bidding process, negatively impacting customers by restricting their access to competitive offers.