Lisbon, Aug. 7, 2026 (Lusa) - The DST group stated on Friday that the Judicial Police and the Ministry of Internal Administration selected it in public procurement tenders «solely because it submitted the lowest price», affirming that the process reflected impartiality, according to a written statement sent to Lusa.
The clarification from the management of the Braga-based group follows reports in the newspaper Nascer do Sol and on TVI/CNN regarding its commercial relationship with Construbarcelos, contracts with the Judicial Police, and a tender by the Ministry of Internal Administration for satellite connectivity equipment.
In its clarification, DST stated that the contracts in question resulted from «public tenders, with the award criterion being 100% price. In all of them, bid evaluation relies solely on objective pricing criteria. DST was selected solely for having submitted the lowest price».
Stating that it had made «all supporting documentation» available to the media outlets mentioned, DST's management declared that «the result depends solely and exclusively on the price submitted by each tenderer, reflecting the company's commitment to transparent and merit-based processes».
DST «therefore unequivocally affirms that the attempt to link distinct and entirely legitimate circumstances fails to establish a scenario of collusion, as the facts clearly demonstrate», and adds that «the accumulation of suspicions does not turn into truth what the available and verifiable documentation contradicts point by point».
In its written statement, DST also stated that it was willing «to account for its actions to the Court of Auditors, IMPIC and the other competent authorities, who have the duty and the legitimacy to carry out oversight».
In today's edition, the newspaper Nascer do Sol reported that, in July, the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI), led by the former national director of Portugal's criminal investigation police agency, PJ, Luís Neves, awarded contracts for the first time «worth 4.5 million to the Braga-based DST group, with links to the Barcelos-based contractor», for the provision of satellite communications to 2,566 parishes and 308 municipalities on the mainland and the islands.
According to the newspaper, DST won two tenders for construction works at the Judicial Police headquarters in Braga and Faro during Luís Neves's tenure as national director of that force.
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