According to the Centre’s press spokeswoman, Ingrid Mühling, the Ministry of Justice as well as the Police and Border Guard are also included in the tender. The purpose is to buy new 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm caliber automatic firearms.

The Center for Defence Investment will buy some 11,000 new firearms between 2018 and 2021. The conditions of the tender also call for an option to buy up to 18,000 firearms until the year 2024.

The maximum cost of the tender is set at €75 million. Next to the K-9 howitzer tender and the purchase of large amounts of ammunition, the firearms tender is one of the biggest of the decade.

All interested parties can now signal interest, along with the necessary certification and proof of qualification. Once the Centre has qualified a number of bidders, the details of the tender will be submitted for them to prepare their bids.

The winner of the tender will then sign a basic agreement, upon which the details of the contract are negotiated. Interested parties have until Aug. 8 this year to apply.