Guatemala launches new tenders for US$193mn hospital program

Guatemala’s public health and social security ministry (Mspas) has launched two new bidding processes to continue the US$193mn program to build or rehabilitate five hospitals.

One of them involves a turnkey contract to modernize Sololá hospital in the southwestern department of the same name, while the other entails a turnkey contract to build two further hospitals, one in Jutiapa in the southwest and Mazatenango in the southeast, records on procurement site Guatecompras show.  

Bids for the first project must be presented by October 17, while offers for the second contract will be received on October 3. Both contracts will require the winning company or consortium to design, construct and equip the facilities. 

With these latest tenders, Mspas has now launched bidding processes for four of the five hospitals that were included in the US$193mn program outlined by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (Cabei) to add 1,040 hospital beds to Guatemala’s public health system. 

The tender for the Jutiapa and Mazatenango hospitals was originally published in May, but was relaunched last week after none of the bids presented in the first process on August 17 met the required standards.

Meanwhile, Mspas received three offers on August 5 to upgrade and expand the existing Chiquimula hospital in the department of the same name. However, the ministry has not selected a winner, nor has it scheduled a date to name one. 

The bidders, whose economic proposals have not yet been revealed, are Promotora y Desarrolladora Mexicana de Infraestructura, APCA Bolero and Consorcio Opción Técnica. 

The program also involves a similar turnkey contract for the city of San Pedro Carchá, but the tender has not yet been issued.