Curitiba launches transport program mgt tender

Brazil's Parana state capital Curitiba has published pre-qualification guidelines for a contract to manage its US$133mn urban transport program, an official from the city's research and planning institute IPPUC - the program's executing agency - told BNamericas. Company background documents are due October 2, said the official. The official said a tender to carry out the program's first work is slated to kick off next month. This work entails revamping a 13km stretch (Trecho Sul) of federal highway BR-476 that runs through the city a total of 25km, and will cost US$34mn. The revamping of the other half of BR-476 that runs through the city will be put out to tender at a later date. The program's other component also aims to improve the city's transport system and road network. Earlier this year, Curitiba's city council approved an 83.8mn reais (US$28.1mn at today's rate) supplementary budget request submitted by the municipality for the program, known as "Eixo Metropolitano de Transportes." Most of the credit - 75.4mn reais - would come from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the rest from the municipality. The IDB and the city government are expected to ink a financing contract by year-end for some US$80mn. Curitiba's metropolitan area is made up of 25 municipalities and has 1.59 million residents, 60% of whom live in Curitiba itself.