Argentina issues tender for $8bn of highway PPPs

Argentina’s Ministry of Transportation has issued tenders for $8 billion of transportation public-private partnerships as part of a national highway modernisation programme.

The transportation ministry published six tenders on its website as part of the first phase of its Network of Highways and Safe Routes programme to construct, expand and improve national highways.

Phase one will procure six projects that will improve and build over 3,400km of national highway. In total, the Network of Highways and Safe Routes programmes will procure 15 projects that will require an estimated $35 billion of investment.

The largest of the first six projects will build 116km of new highway between Las Flores and Azul in Argentina’s Buenos Aires region. The deadline to submit proposals for phase one is April. The second tender is scheduled for May and the third for September.

Under President Mauricio Macri, Argentina has sought to rebuild its infrastructure with help from the private sector. Last year, the government passed PPP legislation which aimed to improve investment opportunities by increasing transparency and providing a clear framework. The legislation looked towards the country’s transportation and energy sectors, in which Macri sought $70 billion in investment.

Last September, Argentina issued a call for proposals for $9.5 billion of projects to modernise its water sector with private investment.