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Colombia's National Infrastructure Agency (ANI) has announced that it has received three bids for the highway Cúcuta – Pamplona.

The bidders were Estructura Plural, formed by Cintra (50%) and Shikun (50%); CCA Civil Colombia; and Sacyr Concesiones Colombia.

It is the second time ANI launched a tender process for the project. As we reported in May, ANI launched the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the concession, with the result of no teams interested in the project. According to sources, the lack of interested bidders is likely due to the economic feasibility of the project.

The project involves the design, build, finance, operation and maintenance of the road during the concession period. The project involves the development of a 62 km road in the department of Norte de Santander. The new road will have a connection with the Bucaramanga- Pamplona concession.

The project will require investments of US$1.5 billion for the construction and over US$538 million for the maintenance during the concession.

Vice President Germán Vargas Lleras said that the 4G Cúcuta-Pamplona highway is key to connect northeast of the country with Bucaramanga and Pamplona in the south, and Cucuta-Ocaña in the north.

ANI president Luis Andrade stated:

"It is very important to highlight the quality of the bidders, since we have top companies from China, Spain and Israel, and that shows the confidence that these investors have in our country in general and the fourth generation highways in particular."