The City of Belgrade has decided not to cancel its procurement for a campaign aimed at informing citizens about low ticket prices and encouraging the use and payment for public transport, which has been free since January 1st.
The Public Transport Secretariat awarded a framework agreement for “informing public transport users through advertising inside vehicles” through a public procurement procedure.
The procurement was announced by the city in early December.
Documents available indicate that one of the goals of the campaign is to inform users about changes in the fare system and the low ticket prices. Another goal is to encourage users to continue using and paying for public transport.
As a reminder, public transport in Belgrade became free as of January 1st. This decision was announced by Mayor Aleksandar Šapić on December 18th.
Forbes Serbia inquired with the City of Belgrade in late December regarding this procurement.
Given the announcement that public transport would be free, we asked whether the procurement would still proceed, considering one of its goals is to encourage users to pay for transport.
However, we did not receive a response.
No answers were provided to follow-up questions sent on Monday, either. These questions focused on whether the goals of the campaign had changed now that the transport was free and how the information campaign would be adjusted.
“Environmental awareness”
In addition to encouraging citizens to use and pay for public transport (which is now free), the campaign also aims to raise environmental awareness.
The campaign plans to emphasize how using public transport reduces CO2 emissions and contributes to cleaner air.
Awarded framework agreement
The procurement was carried out to award a framework agreement, which has been given to the company Info Media Group.
The value of the framework agreement is 227 million dinars, excluding VAT.
Since the agreement is a framework agreement, it does not necessarily mean that the entire amount will be spent.
Throughout the duration of the agreement, the Secretariat will conclude individual contracts based on actual needs.
“The quantities provided in the offer are approximate. They may differ from the quantities the buyer will order during the implementation of the Agreement according to actual needs, at the unit prices in the supplier’s offer, up to the amount of available financial resources,” the framework agreement model states.
Visuals on billboards and posters
The activities carried out by the chosen company will include the creation of visual solutions for advertising (static and animated), as well as advertising on billboards, illuminated panels, and digital displays.
These will all be placed inside public transport vehicles.
Promotion of public transport
The City Administration has previously engaged companies to promote public transport.
In 2023, the companies Info Media Group and Info Media Solutions were hired for the same service, which involves informing users through advertising inside vehicles.
At that time, a framework agreement worth 210 million dinars was concluded.
In mid-2022, the Secretariat engaged Annunaki Production for multimedia promotion aimed at improving and enhancing the passenger transport system.
The goal of this promotion was to encourage the citizens of Belgrade to use public transport through educational, cultural, and historical content.
