Panama calls tender for study on metro master plan

Metro de Panamá, the authority in charge of planning and managing construction of Panama City's subway, is seeking consultants to carry out a prefeasibility study on the new master plan for the capital's metro system.

The study will be financed by a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), according to information posted on government procurement website PanamaCompra.

The study is aimed at examining the viability of the design and location of the metro lines and stations proposed in the new master plan, particularly regarding the future lines No. 4 and 5.

The consultant will also be responsible for estimating future transportation demand in the metropolitan area of Panama City by 2050, with analysis based on five-year periods, as well as for conducting a preliminary environmental assessment of the proposed design for lines No. 4 and 5.

Local and international companies will be able to participate individually or as part of a consortium, a joint venture or to subcontract to other firms.

Interested parties must submit a letter of interest to Metro de Panamá by May 2.

The contract winner will be chosen based on the IDB's applicable policies for hiring consultants.

Panama metro's new master plan proposes the construction of six new lines to be completed by 2040, which would join the existing line No.1 and the line No. 2, which is currently under construction.

The eight lines of the metro system would have around 90 stations to serve residents of Panama City's metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Miguelito, Arraiján and La Chorrera.

The updated master plan was presented last week by Roberto Roy, head of Metro de Panamá, according to the paper.

Panama City's first metro line started operations in 2014. A consortium consisting of Spanish firm FCC Construcciones and troubled Brazilian firm Odebrecht, was awarded the contract to build the metro's second line in 2015.

Metro de Panamá is currently receiving prequalification proposals for the construction of a third line. The contract is expected to be awarded at the end of 2017 and the metro line is scheduled to start operations by 2021.

More information on the consultancy tender is available in Spanish, here.

Argentina launches tender for US$3bn gas pipeline

Argentine state-owned energy company Enarsa launched a tender for the operation and maintenance of multiple stretches of the GNEA natural gas pipeline, and of a pipeline that supplies the Brigadier López thermal power plant in Santa Fe province.

The GNEA sections are located in Salta, Formosa, Chaco and Santa Fe provinces.

The winning bidder will obtain a five-year O&M contract, with the possibility of a two-year extension.

Construction of each pipeline section is expected to be completed during 2017, according to the tender's bidding terms, which can be viewed here in Spanish.

Interested parties have until April 21 to present their offers.

Argentina launches US$255mn gas pipeline tender process

Argentina launched the first in a series of tenders related to a project to expand the natural gas transport and distribution network in provinces Buenos Aires, Chubut, Río Negro and Santa Fe.

The expansion project has a budget of 4bn pesos (US$255mn) and will bring natural gas access to 140,500 homes, state news service Télam reported.

The initial tender is for the supply of pipes, and has a budget of 596mn pesos (US$38mn), according to a resolution published by the energy ministry in the country's official gazette.

A subsequent tender will be launched next week for the supply of compressors, followed by a call for the project's construction.

The expansion project will connect to the GNEA pipeline currently under construction in northeastern Argentina.

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