Pro-Competencia investigates three new companies for possible price-fixing in Economic Dining Room tenders

Santo Domingo. - The Executive Directorate of the National Commission for the Defense of Competition (Pro-Competencia) initiated a formal investigation against the companies Alsara VJ, SRL, Gemar, SRL and Virginia, SRL, for the possible existence of concerted practices in several public procurement processes held by Comedores Económicos del Estado Dominicano. Resolution no. RII-DE-AAC-002-2025, which opens the investigation procedure, reveals findings that suggest illicit coordination between the economic agents under investigation; these include relevant similarity in the presentation of the products to be offered, guarantee policies issued by the same insurer on the same date and with consecutive numbers despite being companies located in different provinces. These situations, in principle, indicate a pattern of collusive practices in order to obtain advantages in the awarding of public procurement contracts. The Executive Directorate emphasizes that the opening of the investigation does not imply prejudgment nor does it constitute a presumption of guilt, but rather it is an initial stage within due diligence, whose purpose is to clarify the facts and gather evidence to confirm or rule out the existence of a violation of Law No. 42-08 General of Defense of Competition.  Possible violation of the law and sanction The investigated actions could constitute a violation of Article 5 of Law No. 42-08 on General Defense of Competition, which prohibits agreements between companies that limit or distort competition in public procurement processes, including the fixing of prices or conditions in a concerted manner, which carries a sanction ranging from minimum fines equivalent to 30 times the minimum wage, and maximums equivalent to 3,000 times the minimum wage. Next steps The Executive Directorate of Pro-Competition will continue to carry out the procedural actions contained in Law No. 42-08 and those that are necessary in accordance with due process, with the purpose of determining the existence or not of conduct that restricts free and fair competition. You can access the resolution at the following link:

RII-DE-AAC-002-2025