In September, Ofotbanen was one of six companies prequalified to bid for the first public service obligation tender on the Gjøvik Line. However, the company chose to not submit a bid, and the contract was won by the NSB subsidiary NSB Anbud. In September, the mechanical company Narvik Sentralverksted, that had provided maintenance for the Norwegian National Rail Administration in Narvik since 1999, accused the municipality of illegally subsidizing Ofotbanen through providing the company with subsidized rent for their workshops. Ofotbanen had just won the public tender for the contract, and the company threatened to take the municipality to court for violation of competition laws. The matter was soon resolved, without the courts being involved. In December, the government granted permission for Ofotbanen to operate charter trains throughout the entire railway network.