After two quiet months, March came in like a lion as the World Bank announced the debarment of three companies. All three qualify for cross-debarment with other Multilateral Development Banks pursuant to the Agreement of Mutual Recognition of Debarments, dated April 2010.

The World Bank has debarred Schneider Electric Pakistan Pvt. Limited ("Schneider Pakistan") for 25 months because of the company's collusive conduct related to its role as a member of a switchgear manufacturing cartel in connection with a Bank-financed project in Pakistan. According to the World Bank, cartel member companies predetermined which companies would win specific contracts by setting the prices quoted in certain tenders. This debarment is part of a Negotiated Resolution Agreement (NRA) between the Bank and Schneider Pakistan's parent company, Schneider Electric Industries SAS, who accepted ultimate responsibility for the wrongdoing and has committed to ensuring that Schneider Pakistan will implement corporate compliance measures identified by the Bank in the NRA.

The World Bank has also debarred South African company Voestalpine VAE SA (Pty) Ltd, including all of its controlled entities and affiliates, for 27 months as a result of the company's failure to disclose the name and commission of an agent during the bidding process for a Bank-financed transportation contract in Congo. The debarment is part of an NRA, and compliance with the World Bank's Integrity Guidelines is required prior to release from the debarment list.

Finally, the World Bank has debarred Damen Shipyards Gorinchem for 18 months after an Integrity Vice Presidency (INT) investigation revealed that Damen engaged in fraudulent practices by failing to disclose the identity and commission of an agent in connection with its bid for a Bank-financed project in Sierra Leone. In announcing the debarment and associated NRA, the Bank noted that it reduced Damen's debarment period due to its cooperation with the Bank and related improvements to the company's compliance program. 

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