Chilean public buyers are taking sharply different approaches to OEM, compatible and remanufactured printer consumables.
By The Recycler News Team
Recent public-sector tenders in Chile reveal significant differences in how authorities approach printer consumables, with some specifying original products while others actively seek alternatives or accept remanufactured toner.
For aftermarket suppliers, the practical consequence is clear. Eligibility can change substantially from one public-sector customer to another, even where the underlying requirement is broadly similar.
The education department in Osorno provides the clearest example of an original-product requirement. Tender 2306-22-LE26 seeks new original ink and toner and explicitly excludes remanufactured products. The procurement has an estimated value of CLP34.5 million ($37,055/ €31,885), with price accounting for 50 per cent of the evaluation and delivery time another 40 per cent.
Elsewhere, the position is very different. Coquimbo tender 2448-20-LE26 specifically calls for “toner y tambor alternativos”, or alternative toner and drums, for Brother and HP equipment used by municipal health facilities. This goes beyond simpl...