Chisinau, August 4, 2025
The Public Services Agency (ASP) of the Republic of Moldova has awarded a MDL 17.89 million contract to Mühlbauer ID Services GmbH, a leading German technology provider, for the supply of specialized dry-etching equipment used in the personalization of polycarbonate passport and travel document data pages.
The contract, announced under Official Journal of the European Union notice 507019-2025, represents a key milestone in Moldova’s ongoing efforts to modernize its secure document production systems and align with international standards for biometric identification.
Contract Overview
The awarded tender, titled “Specialized Equipment for Personalizing Passports/Travel Documents with Polycarbonate Data Page,” falls under the CPV code 22520000 (Dry-etching equipment). The contract value is MDL 17,890,004, considerably below the initial estimated budget of MDL 44,303,214, demonstrating a competitive procurement outcome.
The contract was signed on July 28, 2025, following the selection of the winning bidder on July 3, 2025, after an open procedure conducted by the ASP’s Procurement and Contract Management Department.
The agreement covers the delivery of four specialized dry-etching systems, designed for secure and durable personalization of polycarbonate data pages in Moldovan passports and travel documents - a crucial feature that enhances document durability and resistance to tampering.
Entities Involved
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Contracting Authority: Public Services Agency (ASP), Chisinau - responsible for civil registration, identity management, and state information services.
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Awarded Supplier: Mühlbauer ID Services GmbH, based in Roding, Germany - a global leader in identity document manufacturing and personalization systems.
Founded in 1981, Mühlbauer has extensive experience supplying secure ID technology to over 100 countries. Its dry-etching and laser engraving solutions are widely used in national passport, ID card, and driver’s license programs worldwide.
Procurement Process and Evaluation
The tender was conducted under Directive 2014/24/EU and Moldova’s national procurement legislation, ensuring open and transparent competition. The evaluation was price-based, with electronic auctioning used to determine the lowest compliant offer.
Only two tenders were received, reflecting the high technical specialization of the required equipment. The project is not financed through EU funds and is not covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA).
The Public Services Agency’s National Agency for the Settlement of Complaints serves as the official review body, with a standard 11-day appeals period following the award decision.
Strategic Importance
This investment is expected to significantly upgrade Moldova’s national passport production capabilities, ensuring higher security, efficiency, and compliance with ICAO biometric travel document standards. The new equipment will replace older personalization technology and support the country’s digital governance and e-identity objectives.
By partnering with Mühlbauer, Moldova joins a list of countries leveraging advanced European technology to improve the integrity and durability of national identification systems.
The award underscores Moldova’s continued commitment to modernizing its public services infrastructure and enhancing the security of identity and travel documents. The successful completion of the project will reinforce the country’s reputation for meeting international best practices in secure document issuance.
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#Moldova #ProcurementNews #ContractAward #PublicServicesAgency #PassportPersonalization #Mühlbauer #GovernmentContracts #TenderResults #DryEtchingEquipment #IdentityManagement #SecureDocuments #Chisinau #EUGovernmentProcurement
