Browse articles, features and interviews by using the drop down menu beneath the "News" tag above.  If you have questions about infrastructure projects or need more information that would help leverage your position in the market, request consultation or contact Daniel directly.

While much of the material is restricted and not featured in full, those with red headlines can be read in their entirety.   

July 2014

Brazil receives five offers for US$2.5bn bus concession - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 31-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Brazil's national ground transport agency ANTT has received five proposals for its four-lot tender budgeted at 5.66bn-reais (US$2.52bn) to operate an interstate bus system in and around capital Brasília for 15 years.

Each lot is budgeted at between 1.08bn and 1.90bn reais, BNamericas reported during the tender launch in April.

While lot one drew no bidders, lot two received an offer from Sociedade Empresarial Kandango Transporte e Turismo, according to a transport ministry release.

Two offers each were submitted for lots three and four. Cooperativa de Transporte (Cootransp) and União Transporte Brasília (UTB) handed in offers for part three, while Rota do Sol Transportes e Turismo and Taguatur Taguatinga Transporte e Turismo submitted proposals for part four.

ANTT intends to release the results of its analysis of the proposals on Monday (Aug 4), the release said.

According to the latest schedule, a price auction is scheduled to take place at the São Paulo stock exchange on August 19. With ceiling prices for bus fares ranging from 8.11-8.62 reais per 100km, tender winners will be selected based on the lowest fare offered.

The public-private partnership involves providing bus services to connect several of the federal district's administrative regions with 11 towns and cities in the midwestern state of Goiás.

The new operations are expected to kick off by February 2015.

Brazil 2016 Olympics update: 71% construction underway - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 31-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Approximately 71% of the contracts for infrastructure works to prepare Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympics have been signed and construction works are underway, according to the latest update for the sporting event published by Brazil's Olympic public authority APO.

In a government release, APO president General Fernando Azevedo e Silva said he was satisfied with the advancement of projects which were last monitored in January, "We're sure that the games in Rio will be well organized."

Of the 52 projects currently aimed at organizing and staging the event, 71% are in stage four (contracts signed) or stage five (construction completed). In January, the APO's previous update said that 46% of the projects were in stages four and five. The amount of investment was reported as 5.6bn reais (US$2.47bn) in January and 6.5bn reais this week.

The private sector is leading investments with 4.2bn reais, or 65% of the total. The rest is being covered by public funds, the release said.

The most significant advances over the last six months involve works for the Deodoro Sports Complex projects. Overall, there are 11 construction and adaptation projects underway for sports facilities that will host 11 Olympic and four Paralympic events.

APO, along with the governments of Brazil and Rio de Janeiro, published the update – called Rio 2016 Olympics Responsibility Matrix – on Tuesday. Matrix updates, which cover construction projects in the neighborhoods of Barra da Tijuca, Deodoro, Maracanã and Copacabana, are to be published regularly to ensure the transparency of processes along the way.

The main infrastructure projects for the sporting event includes Rio's Olympic Park, which covers two different areas of the city: the old Jacarepaguá raceway and the Deodoro sports complex. Other Olympic preparation projects include a bus rapid transit (BRT) system, road improvements, wastewater works, and the cleaning up of Guanabara bay.

Goiás tenders construction of waste-to-energy plant - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 31-JUL-14 

Brazil's Goiás state water utility Saneago has launched a 105mn-real (US$46.3mn) tender to build a waste-to-energy system in state capital Goiânia...

Brazil's BNDES financing US$245mn waterworks - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 31-JUL-14 

Brazil's national development bank BNDES is financing a total of 551mn reais (US$245mn) in waterworks projects in the states of Paraná, Amazonas, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul...
 

Brazil calls Goiás prison concession tender - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 30-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Brazil's Goiás state, through its corrections and justice department, has called a 27-year prison concession tender expected to bring in some 1.52bn reais (US$678mn) in revenue, according to procurement documents.

The hired contractor will build, operate and manage the Odenir Guimarães prison complex in the city of Aparecida de Goiânia. It will have 1,600 prison cells.

The forecast revenue corresponds to the estimated monthly concession payment to the contractor from the state government, plus annual bonuses.

Technical visits can be requested until August 20 and interested parties may request tender clarifications up to 10 business days before the proposal submissions date on September 9.

The winner will be selected according to the lowest concession payment requested. A ceiling price of 124,800 reais per day has been stipulated, equivalent to 78 reais per prison cell.

Both companies and consortiums are eligible. Companies will need to prove at least 76mn reais in capital, while consortiums will need 98.8mn reais.

The project was structured through the process of expressions of interest in January 2012. Local consultancy Reviver Administração Prisional was contracted to carry out partial studies and will need to be reimbursed 13,700 reais.

Four companies participated in the public consultation period from November 2013-January 2014: Reviver, Verdi Sistemas Construtivos, Artec Construtora, and Inabensa Abegoa Brasil.

Rousseff creates Brazil's regional airport subsidy plan - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 30-JUL-14 

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff has created aviation development program PDAR which will start subsidizing regional airport flight activity at the start of 2015...

Galvão, EIT group wins Ceará dam contract - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 30-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Brazil's drought prevention department DNOCS has awarded a 171mn-real (US$76.8mn) contract to build a dam to a local consortium made up of Galvão Engenharia and EIT Construções, according to a department release.

The initiative, prepared in June, involves building the Fronteiras dam in Ceará state's Crateús city.

A construction permit should be granted by August 10, after which a service order will be signed authorizing the start of civil works, the release said.

The project includes a 488Mm3 reservoir in the Poty river basin and facilities to irrigate at least 5,000ha. Complementary works will include deep well drilling, as well as ramping up pre-drilled wells that lack pumps and electric power.

The job also calls for expropriation and relocation work, according to the release.

The initiative is being carried out due to the water supply shortage in the region, which has seriously impacted rural areas. Approximately 100,000 residents should benefit, DNOCS said.

Sabesp rejects federal prosecutors water rationing push - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 30-JUL-14 

São Paulo water utility Sabesp has rejected a recommendation by Brazil's federal prosecutor MPF to implement water rationing in the state...

Sabesp tender roundup: São Paulo water, wastewater works - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 29-JUL-14 

Brazil's São Paulo state water utility Sabesp has called three tenders worth a total 20.2mn reais (US$9.06mn) to improve potable water supply and sewerage services...

Brazil needs better urban mobility planners, says specialist - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 29-JUL-14 

Many Brazilian cities are in need of better urban mobility plans for projects such as bus rapid transit (BRT) and metro lines, transportation technician Renato Lobo told BNamericas...

Brazil tenders Rio de Janeiro port channel works - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 29-JUL-14 

Brazil's special ports department SEP has launched a tender for channel works at Rio de Janeiro port... 

Brazilian funds invested US$30bn in infrastructure last year - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 28-JUL-14 

Brazil's unemployment insurance fund FGTS and investment fund FI-FGTS (FI) invested a total of 67.2bn reais (US$30.2bn) in the country's infrastructure in 2013...

Brazil kicks off commercial operations on new Norte-Sul railroad - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 28-JUL-14 

Brazil's ground transport agency ANTT has authorized the start of commercial freight transport operations on a segment of the country's Norte-Sul railroad (FNS) between the cities of Porto Nacional and Gurupi in Brazil's Tocantins state... 

Minas Gerais seeks municipal water supply plan - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 28-JUL-14 

Brazil's Minas Gerais state water utility Copasa is seeking expressions of interest for a plan to obtain untreated water for its potable water supply system in the city of Pará de Minas...

Brazil's waterworks investments US$2.2bn short of national plan - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 28-JUL-14 

Brazil's annual water and sewerage investments are falling some 5bn reais (US$2.24bn) short of what is stipulated in its national sanitation initiative Plansab, the president of local NGO Instituto Trata Brasil (ITB), Edison Carlos, told BNamericas...

Brazil's CCR gets green light on toll rate hikes - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 25-JUL-14 

Brazilian toll road operator CCR has been given the green light to increase its average toll booth rate nearly 6.8% on three highway concessions this week...

New deadline announced for São Paulo airport terminal - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 25-JUL-14 

Viracopos airport in Brazil's São Paulo state will have a new passenger terminal by year-end...

Brazil's Cagece to build new sewer system - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 25-JUL-14 

Ceará state water utility Cagece is planning to build a 14mn-real (US$6.28mn) sewer system in Brazil's Viçosa do Ceará city, some 349km west of state capital Fortaleza...

São Paulo solid waste PPP tender draws two bidders - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 25-JUL-14 

Two companies are vying for a 128mn-real (US$57.3mn), 30-year municipal solid waste management concession launched by São Paulo state's Salto municipality.

Brazil tenders Amazonas port works - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 24-JUL-14 

Brazil's transport infrastructure department DNIT called a tender to prepare basic plans and carry out port terminal construction works along the Solimões river in Amazonas state.

Russian-Brazilian group to compete in rail concessions - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 24-JUL-14 

Russian Railways International RZD and Brazilian engineering company Progen have signed a deal to jointly participate in Brazil's upcoming railroad concessions.

Lack of investment blamed for São Paulo water crisis - environment minister - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 24-JUL-14 

A lack of waterworks investments by Brazil's São Paulo state water utility Sabesp over the past decade has contributed to the growing water supply crisis in the state, according to the country's environment minister Izabella Teixeira.

Brazil's Corsan plans US$178mn waterworks - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 24-JUL-14 

Rio Grande do Sul state water utility Corsan and the city of Santa Cruz del Sul in southern Brazil signed waterworks concession agreement worth 395mn reais (US$178mn) for a series of projects in the city.

Brazil's Bahia prepares US$451mn BRT - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 23-JUL-14 

Bahia state capital Salvador is planning its largest road project ever: a 1bn-real (US$451mn) bus rapid transit system.

Sabesp to extract 'dead volume' water from Alto Tietê reservoir - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 23-JUL-14 

São Paulo water utility Sabesp plans to extract deeply settled water, known as 'dead volume' water, from its Alto Tietê water reserve system to boost supply for the metropolitan region of state capital São Paulo.

Corsan, Caixa sign financing deal for wastewater works - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 23-JUL-14 

Rio Grande do Sul state water utility Corsan in southern Brazil signed a 119mn-real (US$53.7mn) financing agreement with federal savings bank Caixa to expand Santa Maria city's sewer system,

Brazil's CCR granted highway toll booth rate hike - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 23-JUL-14 

A São Paulo state court ruling approved a rate hike for the AutoBAn Anhangüera-Bandeirantes highway concession of Brazilian toll road operator CCR.

Minas Gerais tender roundup: Highway construction and supervision - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 22-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

The highway department of Brazil's Minas Gerais state (DER) has called two civil works and one supervision tender worth a total of 47.0mn reais (US$21.2mn) to pave and improve state roads.

Priced at 34.6mn reais, the largest tender involves a 24-month project for works between the municipalities of Brumadinho and Nova Lima, just south of state capital Belo Horizonte.

DER also called an 11.3mn-real tender for 5.3km of municipal road works near Ervália town. The project should last 12 months, according to DER procurement notices.

The department launched a 1.14mn-real tender for an eight-month contract to supervise work under the state's paving program Caminhos de Minas. The project involves 36.5km of roadwork between the towns of Alagoa and Itamonte, and another 20.4km of roadwork near the town of Passa Vinte.

For all three tenders, technical visits are allowed until August 11 and proposals are due August 18. No more than 30% subcontracting is allowed.

OAS among firms vying for Alagoas wastewater concession - Brazil - Water & Waste 

Published: 22-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Brazil's OAS Investimentos and the Maceió Saneamento consortium are competing for a 30-year concession tender to build, operate and maintain a sewer system in northeastern Brazil's Alagoas state capital Maceió, a spokesperson for the state water utility Casal told BNamericas.

"The consortium is made up of local firms GS Inima Brasil, Enorsul Serviços em Saneamento and STE Serviços Técnicos de Engenharia," the spokesperson said.

Both bidders were approved following the evaluation of technical documents. Casal's tenders committee is now reviewing price proposals. Results should be disclosed by July 29, according to the official.

If no appeals are filed, the tender process should be wrapped up by mid-August.

CONCESSION DETAILS

The public-private partnership (PPP) involves building two sewage treatment plants and 12 pumping stations, and laying 166km of collector pipelines. The 30-year concession also includes monitoring sewer system operations and managing overdue accounts.

The tender winner will be required to pay 1.18mn reais (US$533,000) to consultancy Companhia Paulista de Desenvolvimento, which carried out the project's feasibility studies, and invest at least 130mn reais within the first four years of the PPP. In turn, the winner should receive some 291mn reais in revenue over the concession period.

By 2018, the new system should boost sewage collection coverage in the city to 80% from 36%, benefiting some 300,000 residents in the northern region of the capital.

Water shortage spreads to Rio de Janeiro - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 22-JUL-14 

The Paraíba do Sul river basin, which crosses the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and São Paulo, is facing water shortage...

Brazil's Sabesp tenders studies for US$226mn water supply project - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 21-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

São Paulo state water utility Sabesp launched a consultancy tender to carry out environmental impact studies and reports (EIA-RIMA) to prepare for a water supply improvement initiative budgeted at some 504mn reais (US$226mn).

The tender, priced at a 4.28mn reais, involves studies to interconnect the Jaguari reservoir in the Paraíba do Sul river basin to the Atibainha reservoir in the PCJ basin (Piracicaba, Capivari and Jundiaí rivers), according to a Sabesp bids call.

Companies or two-party consortiums may request tender clarifications for the 18-month project until August 8. Proposals are due August 15.

Interested parties must have a minimum working capital of 260,000 reais and consortiums must prove a capital of 338,000 reais, the call said.

The Jaguari-Atibainha reservoirs project is the largest investment under Sabesp's 826mn-real emergency plan to combat water shortages in 2014-15.

While the Paraíba do Sul river basin is located in southeastern Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, the PCJ basin feeds São Paulo state's Cantareira water system, which has been experiencing drought since the beginning of this year.

Rio Grande do Sul files studies for US$503mn airport - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 21-JUL-14 

The Rio Grande do Sul government filed initial studies with Brazil's government to build a 1.2bn reais (US$503mn) international airportnear state capital Porto Alegre...

Chinese-Brazilian group ready for rail concession tender - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 21-JUL-14 

China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and Brazilian engineering company Camargo Corrêa created a group to compete in Brazil's upcoming rail concession tenders...

Brazil's Santa Catarina launches waterworks tenders - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 18-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Santa Catarina state water utility Casan in southern Brazil launched three tenders worth a total of 47.4mn reais (US$21.1mn) to improve the state's waterworks services.

Budgeted at 32.6mn reais, the largest tender involves a 24-month contract for an integrated management system, including telemetry, automation, measurements and an operations center.

Companies and consortiums must submit offers by August 19, according to the tender notice.

Casan also launched a 10.2mn-real tender to expand the water supply system in the city of São José. Civil works include laying PVC water pipelines and building a reinforced concrete reservoir.

Interested parties should submit proposals by August 18. Work is set to last 12 months, according to the bid document.

Finally, the utility called a 4.60mn-real tender to expand sewer systems along the coast of state capital Florianópolis, which involves three components: household connections, collection systems and a wastewater treatment plant.

Offers for the 15-month project must be handed in by August 15, the procurement notice said.

Odebrecht secures US$294mn highway concession loan - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 18-JUL-14 

Brazil's ground transport agency ANTT approved a 664mn-real (US$294mn) BNDES development bank loan to restore, expand and maintain federal highway BR-163 in Mato Grosso state.

São Paulo industrial sector fears possible water rationing - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 18-JUL-14 

São Paulo state's industrial companies are concerned about the potential impact water rationing could have on their revenue if restrictions are put in place, 

Brazil expects US$180bn in private sector infra investments - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 18-JUL-14 

Brazil should see some 404bn reais (US$180bn) in private sector investments during the 2014-17 period to improve transportation, urban mobility, electric power, telecommunication and water and sanitation infrastructure.

Sabesp calls tender to boost Cantareira water supply - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 17-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

São Paulo state water utility Sabesp called a 30.7mn-real (US$13.8mn) tender for a six-month project to extract the dead volume of water located deep at the bottom of the state's ​Cantareira reservoir.

Work includes building a cofferdam and a water channel to transfer existing water in the Jacareí reservoir, located in the town of Joanópolis, according to Sabesp procurement documents.

The bidder must be able to build cofferdams with a minimum mass of 115,000m3 and an average height of 8m, as well as digging at least 150m of water channels with an estimated flow rate of 20m3/s and installing 10 pumping assemblies, each with a minimum flow rate of 2m3/s.

Other requirements include experience laying 1,152m of 100cm-wide PEAD pipeline, the bid notice said.

Tender clarifications can be requested until August 7 and proposals are due August 14. Bidders must prove they have access to a minimum working capital equivalent to at least 10% of the project budget.

CANTAREIRA ALERT

The utility is under pressure to obtain water in order to avoid shortages in the São Paulo metropolitan area, which has been suffering from drought since the start of the year. The Cantareira water supply system's current level is falling at such a rate that it should run dry by the end of October.

Serving 9.3mn residents in São Paulo's metropolitan region, Cantareira is one of the largest systems of its kind in the world and the largest managed by Sabesp.

Sabesp is Latin America's largest water utility.

Brazil, UN team up to improve water quality - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 17-JUL-14 

Brazil's national water agency ANA and UN environment program Unep signed a MOU to cooperate on monitoring and improving the country's water quality

Brazil environment ministry launches Paraná aquifer study - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 17-JUL-14 

Brazil's environment ministry (MMA) kicked off consultancy works to map out Paraná state's underground water networks, 

Brazil sets new deadlines for port zoning plans - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 17-JUL-14 

Brazil has extended deadlines for the country's port authorities to disclose their zone development plans (PDZ).

Brazil's Sanepar secures financing for US$183mn waterworks - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 15-JUL-14 

Paraná state water utility Sanepar in southern Brazil secured financing for 414mn reais (US$183mn) in potable water supply and sewerage projects, 

Bahia tender roundup: highway paving, urbanization - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 15-JUL-14 

The roads department for the Brazilian state of Bahia has announced three tenders worth a total of 37.6mn reais (US$16.9mn) for highway paving and urbanization works.

Brazil's Tietê-Paraná waterway pits hydro energy vs freight transport - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 15-JUL-14 

Brazil's water agency ANA is facilitating talks about the use of the Tietê-Paraná waterway, following an increase in hydroelectric energy generation that has shut down barge transportation along the fluvial route during the last two months.

World Cup over, Olympics on track - Rousseff - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 14-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Works to prepare Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympic Games are on track, according to Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

Rousseff made the statement during a meeting on Friday with International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, according to state-run news service Agência Brasil.

As the World Cup came to a close on Sunday, Brazilian authorities now turn their attention to working with Olympic officials in making sure preparations are wrapped up on schedule.

The 2016 Summer Games' main infrastructure project is Rio's Olympic Park, which covers two different areas of the city: the old Jacarepaguá raceway and the Deodoro sports complex. Currently, about 60% of construction has been completed, said the Agência Brasil report.

Other Olympic preparation projects include a bus rapid transit (BRT) system, road improvements, wastewater works, and cleaning up of Guanabara bay.

Brazil regulator extends Sabesp water usage rights to Cantareira - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 14-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Brazil's national water agency ANA extended the usage rights to one of the world's largest water supply reservoirs, the Cantareira system, which is primarily located in São Paulo and is operated by water utilitySabesp, federal news service Agência Brasil reported.

Sabesp was scheduled to hand over in August the water rights it has been using for the past ten years, but was granted an extension until October 31, 2015, amid a water shortage caused by a lack of rainfall in the Piracicaba river basin that is drying up the water system.

Cantareira has experienced its biggest crisis since its creation in the 1970s, while earlier this year the region recorded its driest period since rainfall began to be measured in the country in 1930.

Sabesp has until end-April 2015 to submit new studies, including water data for the year, in order to renew its concession.

Cantareira serves 9.3mn residents in São Paulo's metropolitan region.

Sabesp is Latin America's largest water utility.

Paraná tenders Cascavel, Francisco Beltrão waterworks - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 14-JUL-14 

Southern Brazil's Paraná state water utility Sanepar launched three tenders worth a total of 40.2mn reais (US$18.1mn) to improve water and sewerage services in the cities of Cascavel and Francisco Beltrão... 

São Paulo calls US$157mn highway restoration tender - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 11-JUL-14 

The highway department of southeastern Brazilian state São Paulo (DER) called a seven-lot 349mn-real (US$157mn) tender to restore 208km of highways... 

Brazil and China pave the way for railroad concession partnerships - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 11-JUL-14 

The governments of China and Brazil are planning to sign a memorandum of cooperation to pave the way for railroad concessions in both countries.

Brazil's Cantareira water supply drops to February levels - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 11-JUL-14 

São Paulo's Cantareira water supply system in southeastern Brazil has dropped to same drought level seen in mid-February this year, 

Brazil's Sanesul kicks off watershed basins study - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 11-JUL-14 

Brazil's Mato Grosso do Sul state water utility Sanesul has started a 10-month study to create a framework for 10 watershed basins in the midwestern state...

Brazil's Bahia calls wastewater system expansion tender - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 10-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Brazil's Bahia state water utility Embasa has launched a 103mn-real (US$46.6mn) tender to expand the sewer system in the city of Lauro de Freitas, according to a utility tender notice.

The contract involves installing 6.7km of collector pipelines, 592 extension lines to buildings and 2,962 household connections.

Required experience includes installing 10km of wastewater collector pipeline and 5km of pipeline - force main, collector, or water main - of at least 40cm wide. Bidders must also demonstrate experience in building a pumping station with a flow rate of at least 70l/s or a minimum power output of 30hp.

Companies and consortiums can request bid clarifications for the five-year contract until August 3 and offers are due August 8. A winner will be selected based on the lowest price, the bid notice said.

Consortiums must be led by a Brazilian company and all bidders need to demonstrate minimum capital of 10mn reais.

The initiative is being funded by Embasa and Brazil's federal unemployment insurance fund (FGTS).

Phase two of Rio Grande wharf project gets underway - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 10-JUL-14 

Brazil's special ports department SEP launched a 97mn-real (US$43.6mn) project to update the wharf area of Rio Grande port in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, a port spokesperson told BNamericas...

Ceará calls US$132mn nine-lot highway paving tender - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 10-JUL-14 

The highway department of Brazil's northeastern Ceará state (DER) called a nine-lot highway paving tender worth 293mn reais (US$132mn)...

Brazil's ANTT extends railway consultancy submission deadline - Brazil - Infrastructure
Published: 10-JUL-14

Brazil's transport ministry extended a deadline for engineering consultants to submit proposals for railway infrastructure technical feasibility studies...

DNIT tender watch: Highway consultancies, construction - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 09-JUL-14  

Brazil's transport infrastructure department DNIT launched three consultancy tenders to prepare basic plans and executive projects, and carry out works, to improve federal highways.

Brazil approves US$1.44bn urban mobility, waterworks funding - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 09-JUL-14 

Brazil's finance ministry approved 3.19bn reais (US$1.44bn) in federal government financing for urban mobility and waterworks projects in two states

Itajui Engenharia wins Santa Catarina wastewater tender - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 09-JUL-14 

Brazilian construction company Itajui Engenharia de Obras has won a tender for a wastewater project in the coastal towns of Piçarras and Balneário Barra do Sul in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina.

Brazil releases Ceará desalination project funding - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 08-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland 

Brazil's environment ministry has released 24mn reais (US$10.8mn) in federal government funding to the northeastern state of Ceará for desalination projects in 48 towns and cities, the ministry said in a release.

With some 80% of the state located over crystalline basement, salt concentration in the soil puts human health at risk.

According to the ministry's water resources and urban environment secretary Ney Maranhão, the program's goal is to develop more sustainable use of groundwater with saline and brackish characteristics.

The funding will be used to install, restore and manage a total of 222 desalination systems. The work is part of the ministry's Água Doce (fresh water) program aimed at improving potable water supply in the semi-arid areas of Ceará.

Scheduled works include 667 technical and environmental diagnosis projects and 444 flow rate tests in deep water wells, according to a federal government release.

Água Doce is coordinated by the environment ministry's water resources and urban environment department in partnership with federal, state and municipal institutions.

Brazil relaunches US$2bn Curitiba metro concession tender - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 08-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Southeastern Brazil's Paraná state capital Curitiba relaunched a 4.67bn-real (US$2.10bn) tender for a 35-year concession to build and operate the city's first metro line, according to project documents.

Following a request by an interested bidder, the city decided to amend a contract clause, clarifying that remuneration would be made in the form of an annual payment from the city to the eventual concession holder.

Parties interested in bidding for the 35-year concession must submit proposals on August 25 at the São Paulo stock exchange, Bovespa.

Documents were previously due to be handed in on August 11.

The modification does not change any fundamental tender details such as the annual concession payment amount, which remains 30mn reais.

PROJECT DETAILS

The project involves building a 17.6km line with 15 stations. The fare will be 2.55 reais and around 419,000 passengers are expected to use the line daily.

A consortium led by local infrastructure group Triunfo Participações e Investimentos (TPI) was contracted to carry out the initial project studies.


Explosive device found at World Cup host city building site - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 08-JUL-14 

An explosive device was found at a monorail construction site in southeastern Brazil's World Cup host city São Paulo, 

Brazil's Sanepar plans US$1.1bn water, sewerage projects - Brazil - Water & Waste 
Published: 07-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Southern Brazil's Paraná state water utility Sanepar has earmarked 2.5bn reais (US$1.13bn) for potable water supply, and sewage collection and treatment investments across the state from 2014-16, according to a company release.

Of this amount, 295mn reais will be invested in the northeastern region of Paraná in the three-year period, with 126mn reais of this - equivalent to 43% - allocated for this year alone.

To begin with, Sanepar is carrying out a 62.1mn-real project to improve potable water supply and sewage collection and treatment in the city of Umuarama. The works include building new water intake facilities and expanding the city's sewerage system by installing more than 47km of wastewater collector pipeline.

When complete, the city's sewage collection and treatment coverage rate will increase to 91% from 83%. Some 7,000 people in more than 16 districts will benefit, the release said.

Umuarama, which has a population of 106,387, is located 580km west of state capital Curitiba.

Brazil 2014-18 infra investment pegged at US$414bn - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 07-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Brazil's government and the private sector are planning some 920bn reais (US$414bn) in infrastructure investment from 2014-18, daily Valor Econômico reported, citing a study produced by local bank Itaú BBA.

The study includes the oil and gas, transportation, electric power, and water and sanitation sectors.

The ratio of investment to GDP easily reaches 20%, Universidade Federal do ABC economics professor Cristina Reis reportedly said.

"This is a level that we [Brazil] have never reached and a barrier that needs to be broken to reduce bottlenecks," Reis, who is also an analyst at industrial development studies institute LEDI, was quoted as saying.

Approximately 543bn reais, nearly 60% of the total, has been earmarked for the oil and gas sector, while transportation has been allocated 200bn reais, energy 162bn reais, and water and sanitation 15bn reais.

In terms of transportation, investment is expected in railways, highways, airports, ports, and urban mobility projects such as subways, monorails, light rail transit (LRT) systems, and bus rapid transit (BRT) systems.

Although the 35.6bn-real Rio-São Paulo-Campinas bullet train project is not included in the transportation budget, works yet to be completed under Brazil's highway and airport concessions awarded over the last couple of years are.

As only 18% of the work under the country's logistics investment program PIL has been put out to tender, investment figures stated in the bank study also include various forthcoming tenders, the paper added.

Brazil's Minas Gerais state launches highway restoration tender - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 07-JUL-14 

Southeastern Brazil's Minas Gerais state highway department DER called a 39.9mn-real (US$18.0mn) tender to restore and resurface highway MG-187, 

Rio de Janeiro calls two hospital construction tenders - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 07-JUL-14 

Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state launched tenders worth some 110mn reais (US$49.6mn) to build a cardiology hospital and to expand and renovate a cancer unit.

Brazil-Argentina group only bidder in US$2.1bn monorail tender - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 04-JUL-14 - By Daniel Bland

Brazil's São Paulo state received a single bid for its 4.7bn-real (US$2.13bn) tender to build, operate and maintain a monorail for the state capital's metro line 18, or bronze line.

The bidder, Brazil's ABC Integrado consortium, is a step away from winning the 25-year concession contract.

The tender committee only needs to evaluate qualifying and methodology documents for final approval, local news portal Exame reported.

ABC Integrado requested an annual concession payment of 316mn reais, 0.27% below the 317mn-real ceiling price stipulated in the tender documents, the report said.

The consortium is made up of local engineering group Primav – which controls highway operator Ecrodovias – as well as local construction companies Encalso and Cowan and Argentina's Benito Roggio.

PROJECT DETAILS

The 25-year concession involves building a monorail stretching nearly 15km between São Paulo city and the neighboring ABC region. It will have 13 stations.

The ABC region includes the cities of Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo and São Caetano do Sul. The new line will connect the southern neighborhood of Tamanduateí in the state capital to Djalma Dutra in São Bernardo do Campo.

World Cup host city investigates fatal overpass collapse - Brazil - Infrastructure 
Published: 04-JUL-14 

Brazil World Cup host city Belo Horizonte launched an investigation into why a section of an overpass being built there collapsed on Thursday killing two people and injuring over 20.

Brazil's Sergipe prepares 13 water, sanitation plans

Northeastern Brazil's Sergipe state government is funding municipal sanitation plans for 13 towns and cities, the state's urban development secretary Carlos Melo said.