The Riga municipality has already announced discussions regarding the future procurement of services for the maintenance of gardens, parks, squares, and other public green areas in the capital. Entrepreneurs can submit their proposals and comments until September 30, the Riga City Council reported. Currently, these works are carried out by the municipal enterprise Rīgas meži under a delegation agreement. The current ten-year contract ends on February 27, 2027. ### Why the System is Being Changed The changes are related to legislative requirements and recommendations from competition regulatory bodies. The Ministry of Smart Governance and Regional Development (VARAM) indicated that practical work on the maintenance of parks and green areas does not fall under the management functions that should be delegated through a delegation agreement. In turn, the Competition Council recommended that an open procurement procedure be used primarily for selecting contractors for such services. Elina Treija (NA), chair of the Riga City Council's Housing and Environment Committee, stated that the municipality's task is to organize an open competition and select candidates capable of ensuring high quality at the most advantageous price for Riga residents. ### Parks Will Be Divided into Zones The upcoming procurement is planned to be divided into zones and separate parts. The Riga City Council hopes that this will allow more companies to participate in the competition. According to the municipality, increasing competition should contribute to more efficient use of budget funds and improve the quality of work. At the same time, the responsibility for the condition of the parks and quality control will remain with the Riga municipality. ### Rīgas meži Will Also Be Able to Participate Conducting an open competition does not necessarily mean that Rīgas meži will lose its job. The municipal enterprise will be able to participate in the procurement under the same conditions as private companies and compete for relevant contracts. It is planned that the contractors selected as a result of the new competition will begin work on March 1, 2027.