Migri to open 17 new reception centres for Ukrainian refugees

The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has completed tendering process to set up 17 new reception centres at different parts of the country to accommodate the increasing number of refugees, mostly fled to Finland from Ukraine, said Migri in a press release on Friday.

The new reception centres include apartment-based reception centres, collective accommodation centres, and a transit centre.

The second phase of the tendering process in this regard has been completed recently for reception centre operations in 9 geographical areas: West Uusimaa; Vantaa, Kerava, Central Uusimaa and East Uusimaa; Southwest Finland; Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia; Kymenlaakso; Satakunta; South Ostrobothnia; Kainuu; Åland.

Earlier, the first phase of the tendering process was carried out in autumn 2022 to set up reception centres in eight regions

This time, the Finnish Immigration Service decided to restrict the number of categories that one supplier can win, meaning that a company was able to become the selected supplier in two categories at the most.

A total of 15 suppliers submitted tenders.

“Our aim was to ensure supplier diversity and as high quality of suppliers as possible without compromising cost-effectiveness. Making the market as broad and thriving as possible will help us enhance the cost-effectiveness of reception activities through competition and will ensure a better preparedness and availability of capacity in case of large-scale influxes of migrants,” said Elina Nurmi, Director of Reception Unit.

The Migri arranged the competitive tendering in cooperation with Hansel, the central purchasing body for the public administration in Finland.

The tendering process was carried out nationally, and a dynamic purchasing system is applied. Suppliers meeting a predetermined set of criteria can join the system during the entire validity period, that is, until 31 December 2027.

The cost for new reception centres will be about EUR 250 million for the period 2022–2027.

The final cost, however, will depend on various factors such as the number of clients in reception centres and the duration of the operation of the reception centres.

The accommodation capacity of each reception centre that was now put out to tender is 300 beds. The contracts awarded are valid until further notice.

The reception centres are supposed to open as soon as possible.

“The results of the tendering process mean that some of our clients may need to change reception centres. However, if current clients need to transfer, we aim to transfer them to a reception centre that is in the same area where their current reception centre is located. We will inform our clients of any changes as early as possible,” said Nurmi.

At present, Finland has altogether 107 reception centres, their secondary branches and service points for clients in private accommodation, as well as 10 reception units for minors.

About 45,500 people are currently registered as clients in the reception system. About 35 per cent of them live in private accommodation and 14 per cent live in municipalities as part of the municipal model for accommodation.

Migri is responsible for directing, planning and supervising the operations of the reception system.

The reception centres maintained by Migri are located in Helsinki, Lappeenranta (Joutseno) and Oulu.

The other reception centres are maintained by, for instance, non-governmental organisations, Finnish municipalities and private companies.

Contracts awarded to Luona Oy under category 1 in West Uusimaa, to Luona Oy under category 2 in Vantaa and Kerava, Central Uusimaa and East Uusimaa, to Finnish Red Cross Varsinais-Suomen Piiri under category 3 in Southwest Finland, to Pohjanmaan Maahanmuuttokeskus Oy under category 4 in Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia to Kotokunta Oy under category 5 in Kymenlaakso, to Finnish Red Cross Satakunnan Piiri under category 6 Satakunta, to Kotokunta Oy under category 7 in South Ostrobothnia, to Babando Oy under category 8 in Kainuu and to Babando Oy under category 9 in Åland.

Earlier in late November, 2022, the Migri prepared to set up new reception centres following the increased need to provide accommodation for people fleeing Ukraine.