All companies must always act completely independently and in full competition with other agents in the markets in which they operate. In this context, the companies in the Company’s economic group, as well as their partners and employees, must:
• ensure respect for antitrust principles and legislation in all jurisdictions in which they operate
• avoid situations that expose the Company, its partners and/or employees to sanctions arising from violations to the economic order
• immediately communicate to the integrity area or the Risk, Integrity and Audit Department any and all situations that denote or suggest a violation or conflict, or raise doubts regarding compliance with this Policy
Any and all agreements, discussions, contacts or interactions between competitors that have as their following objective or actual or potential result are prohibited: [i] the fixing or alignment of prices or commercial conditions; [ii] the division of customers or territories; [iii] the negotiation of non-aggression pacts, boycotts, exclusion of competitors or other market agents; [iv] the exchange of any competitively sensitive information; or [v] any other conduct coordinated with a competitor that may interfere with the way Ultrapar companies operate in the market.
2.3. Bidding
The same prohibitions and observations regarding interaction with competitors apply to participation in public or private bidding.
It is not permitted to make any agreement, discussion or understanding (verbal or written) with competitors, directly or indirectly, that could interfere or influence the result of public or private bidding, carried out in Brazil or abroad, such as:
• adjust values or terms or conditions of proposals or bids
• split a set of bids or split lots of a bid
• agree with a competitor not to appear or participate in a bidding process or to withdraw a proposal
• submit proposals with purposefully high or formally inadequate prices, with a view to their disqualification
• arrange rotations with competitors, so that they alternate between the winners of the bids
It is lawful for the Company, in a completely independent manner, to eventually decide not to participate in a given bid or to withdraw from a proposal already formulated within the scope of a bid, if this is the best decision for the business.
In case of entering into a consortium between the Company and competitors to participate in a bidding process, such consortium must be previously submitted to analysis and authorization by Ultrapar’s Legal Department and, if necessary, also by CADE, observing all relevant rules to ensure strict compliance with competition protection legislation.