Ministry launches rural hwy. tenders

Paraguay's public works and communications ministry has published bidding rules to pre-qualify for improvement and rehabilitation highway works worth US$31.2mn, part of the ministry's US$89.5mn second rural roads national program, the ministry announced. The works will benefit 475km and are split into six groups: Itapua department (Zona Sur); Itapua (Zona Norte); Alto Parana department; Guiara, Caaguazu and Caazapa departments; Canindeyu department; and Concepcion and Amambay departments. Company background documents are due February 9. The ministry also made pre-qualification documents available to carry out environmental and works enforcement for the six groups, with company background documents due January 29 The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a US$67mn loan in 1999 for the first stage of the program that aims to improve 730km of rural roads. The ministry has a US$106mn second stage on the books, for which the IDB could provide US$80mn.