NORWAY - There are two new Norwegian pensions manager tenders - at municipality Eidskog and the merged Stavanger and Sandnes' maintenance workers fund.

Renovasjonen IKS, a new fund set up when the maintenance teams in Stavanger and neighbouring Sandnes merged early this year, was previously managed by KLP (Stavanger) and Sandnes' own pension company.

Inger Johanne Orre, spokeswoman of the fund's advisor, WACO, does not think that KLP will re-tender.

And Eidskog, a council that borders Sweden, is looking for a municipal occupational pension service provider for its NOK200m fund (€22.6m). The incumbent is Vepal.

Jan Fredriksen of consulting firm Willis, the fund's advisor, outlines that currently the Norwegian system is a merry-go-round of only three providers: KLP (the largest in Norway), Vepal and Storebrand.

In Norway there is a very strict system in which only these three providers are allowed to deliver such services, explains Fredriksen.

"We desperately need more providers and I hope this will change in the near future. It would be good to make a product which allows this," he said.

It is not unlikely that Vepal will continue to manage the fund, Fredriksen added.

The time limit for receipt of tenders or request to participate for the two funds is October 20.

Both funds are looking to award the most economically advantageous tender and request tenders to be drawn up in Norwegian.