WEEKLY REVIEW OF THE COLOMBIAN ECONOMY April 22 – 26
S&P Raises Colombian Credit Rating
Standard & Poor’s upgraded Colombia’s sovereign credit rating to BBB from BBB minus, with a stable outlook. S&P noted that a strong financial profile, growing domestic capital markets, and favorable long-term GDP growth expectations have strengthened Colombia’s creditworthiness.
Mexico to Join the MILA Market
The Mexican government is proposing financial reforms that include changes needed to become a member of the Latin American Integrated Market (MILA in Spanish). The stock markets of Peru, Chile, and Colombia are already integrated in the MILA, with the participation of more than 500 companies. Mexico’s announcement is an additional step in the Pacific Alliance’s integration strategy.
Fist Road Concession Projects Receive Proposals
The Colombian National Infrastructure Agency has received 32 proposals for the first two projects opened for bids as part of the country’s new road concessions. The two projects are the roads between Girardot-Puerto Salgar and Mulalo-Loboguerrero for a combined value of US$ 3 billion dollars. Companies from Spain, Italy, Brazil, France, Mexico, Austria, and China have submitted proposals.
For complete information please visit – http://bit.ly/Y2sPvM
Colombian Government Procurement Website
This website allows users to review active contractual processes offered by most Colombian government agencies and municipal and departmental entities. The main goal of the portal is to promote transparency, efficiency, and the use of technology in public procurement for the benefit of employers, government agencies, and the general public. Users can search for all characteristics of a contract including value, closing dates, requirements and contact information.
The website currently includes the national annual acquisition plan for all government agencies : https://www.contratos.gov.co/carguedocs/ConsultaPAA.do
This is one of the main bids that can be found on the website:
Public bid for the construction of the NEW CONTROL TOWER and complementary works at the international airport of Pereira
Value: US$ 940 million – https://www.contratos.gov.co/consultas/detalleProceso.do?numConstancia=12-1-85343
Upcoming Road Concession Opportunities
The Colombian government will soon open four road concessions for bidding:
- Honda-Puerto Salgar-Girardot (313km; in the area between Bogota and Cali). A detailed description of this concession (in Spanish) is available here: http://www.ani.gov.co/CMS/media/file/Girardot%20Puerto%20Salgar%20Honda.pdf
- Mulaló-Loboguerrero-Cali (90km; part of the route from Cali to the Pacific coast; estimated cost of USD$556 million). A detailed description of this concession (in Spanish) is available here: http://www.ani.gov.co/CMS/media/file/Mulalo%20loboguerrero.pdf
- Caquesza-La Calera-Guasca (154km; on the eastern outskirts of Bogota; estimated cost of USD$361 million). A detailed description of this concession (in Spanish) is available here: http://www.ani.gov.co/CMS/media/file/Perimetral%20del%20Oriente%20de%20Cundinamarca.pdf
- Cartagena-Barranquilla-Malambo (152km; Caribbean coast; estimated cost of USD$444 million). A detailed description of this concession (in Spanish) is available here: http://www.ani.gov.co/CMS/media/file/Cartagena%20Barranquilla.pdf
The government of Bogota will open the prequalification stage in mid-January 2013. For the companies which qualify, the bidding process will be opened in March 2013.
For more information, please contact :
PATRICIA BARRIGA RIVEROS
Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura
Tel: (0571)3791720 Ext 1212 - pbarriga@ani.gov.co
The Colombian Government opens 4G providers auction
The Ministry of IT and the Communications Regulation Commission, CRC, announced the final draft of the auction to deliver five operating licenses for mobile Internet 4G. In total, the GOC will grant permissions to 160 MHz, that will be auctioned in three segments of 30 megahertz (MHz) in the AWS band, while in the 2500 Mhz band delivered 70 Mhz, will be delivered in 2013.
Interested parties may comment on the draft of the auction until Nov. 19, the final statement will be released in December and the auction will take place in February 2013.
Winning entities must cover all municipal capitals with over 8,000 people to June 2014 and the entire country five years after receiving the license, for its part, the starters have 10 years to deploy their infrastructure. Under the terms of the auction, operators will be required to distribute 350,000 tablets with an Internet connection on a social plan for the whole country, while the starters have to deliver 150,000 tablets.
Among the interested companies one can find so far: Anditel, Avatel, Comcel, Tigo, Directv, Emcali, ETB, Entel, International Communications Networks, Movistar, Telmex, UNE and NII Holding.
Expectations for the auction are approximately more than US$ 200 billion dollars and will occur in two forms: one open and one private. The second is for new entrants, that will not have to compete with those already operating in the country, with the aim of encouraging the arrival of new market entrants.
For more information please go to: http://bit.ly/SA0SJ9
Colombian New Law in Public Private Partnerships.
In an effort to foster private investment in large-scale infrastructure projects, which are much needed in Colombia, Law 1508/2012 has been passed to regulate public-private partnerships (PPPs). The law applies to all contracts whereby state-owned entities assign to a private investor the right to design and build an infrastructure project and its related services, or to carry out the construction, repair, improvement or conditioning of such a project.
See the full document here: http://bit.ly/Mx9OdJ
