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A consultation for the design and execution of a tourist information centre for the Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport requires the proposal of a pilot-study following the conclusion of a shortlist. This requirement “implies a considerable investment for the candidates” and must “give rise to payment of a compensation” (Article 49 of the French Public Procurement Contracts Code). Yet the announcement does specify that “there will not be any indemnification of candidates who have submitted an offer” (Announcement no. 12-231781. Such a provision is scandalous, coming from an awarding entity subject to aforementioned CMP. It is even more so because Saint-Étienne Cité du design, signatory of an introductory text to the AFD¹ Charter on Public Tenders for design, a mission of which is to “ensure the development of design with the social and economic players” through promoting “better integration of design within the organisations/communities by issuing calls for projects and communicating good practices” (www.citedudesign.com), has been instrumental in the preparation of this consultation and is circulating the announcement thereof.

The fact that the designer Philippe Starck works for free for some public authorities causes controversy among design professionals. AFD received numerous messages about this issue. Replying to critics in the weekly Designfax 786, Philippe Starck explains: “To me, it seemed fair, civic and consistent with my desire to be of some small service to as many people as possible.”