Adda faces scrutiny as Uppsala Municipality revises HVB procedures amid organized crime connections in Sweden

Adda, a purchasing center under the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR), has framework agreements with various companies, including those in the HVB (residential care) sector, which municipalities can utilize. Adda charges a fee of 1.5 percent on the amounts billed by these companies to municipalities, totaling approximately one billion SEK annually.

However, recent reports reveal that among the HVB companies available through Adda, eleven have connections to organized crime, according to police. In response to this discovery, Uppsala Municipality is revising its procedures regarding HVB placements. The issue of youth hiding weapons and drugs in HVB homes has also sparked criticism from management regarding existing laws.

While Adda positions its services on its website as a means for municipalities to enhance the quality of their HVB placements, questions arise over how these problematic companies managed to secure contracts. SKR chair Anders Henriksson stated that neither municipalities nor Adda had access to the police’s list of involved companies, leaving them unaware of the affiliations of these entities.

Henriksson emphasized the need for collective efforts to eliminate criminal activities from HVB homes, deeming the situation unacceptable. He acknowledged the concern of profiting from these companies, asserting that contracts should only be established with reputable providers.

Currently, around 190 municipalities utilize Adda’s services, with a majority expressing trust in its company verification processes. Nonetheless, some municipalities, like Huddinge, have chosen to independently procure HVB services, indicating that specialized procurement structures might be more effective in this sector.

Last year, Adda reported a record profit of over 58 million SEK, primarily from private sector revenue, raising further questions about the implications of its business model amidst these serious allegations.