IDB OKs Western Corridors bidders

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has given its "no-objection" to the lowest bidders submitted by Paraguay's public works ministry for contracts under its US$190mn western integration corridors program, a ministry source told BNamericas. The contracts are split into eight packages, each of which is made up of 10-12 projects that involve basic works, drainage improvement and road paving in the departments of Boqueron and Alto Paraguay. The works will take 12-36 months depending on the package. The bidders are Talavera & Ortellado Construcciones, Benito Roggio e Hijos, Consorcio Alto Chaco, Consorcio de Ingenieria Vial, Ingenieria de Topografia y Caminos, Consorcio Occidente, Ecomipa and Consorcio Camineros del Chaco. A government auditing team must now approve the contracts before they can be signed, after which construction will begin, the source said. Meanwhile, a parallel tender process to select the companies that will inspect the works is wrapping up. The works aim to improve and consolidate the most important road corridors in Paraguay's sparsely populated western departments to advance development in that area and facilitate the flow of products from its agricultural centers. The IDB is helping finance the program with a US$100mn loan, along with US$60mn from the Andean Development Corporation and US$30mn in local counterpart funds. In related news, the source said they have yet to receive the "no-objection" on the part of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for the bidders vying for US$130mn in highway works JBIC is financing. The ministry opened economic offers in early February, which were then submitted to the bank.