The government of Uruguay will launch this November a tender process for the development of more than 50 schools through the public private partnership (PPP) model.

The first call includes the development of 44 kindergartens and 15 family and childhood centers (Centros de Atención a la Infancia y la Familia, CAIF), with an initial investment of UYU1.58 billion (US$55 million).

The construction works, which will be the first to be carried out following a PPP model, will begin in 2018.

The tender process will have a period of five months for submission of bids, four months for provisional award and six months for final award. 

The obligations of the contractors will include design, build, finance, operation and maintenance of the social infrastructure. The concession contract will run for 20 years. 

According to Silvina Panizza,director of PPP Projects of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, this project is part of a major programme which comprises four levels: early childhood, initial education, primary education and secondary education, with an estimated total investment of US$432 million.

The programme includes the development of more than 200 PPP schools projects, including 165 schools for the National Public Education Administration (ANEP) which will be located in the following areas:

• 44 in Montevideo;
• 42 in Canelones, San José, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Colonia and Soriano;
• 47 in Artigas, Paysandú, Rivera, Salto, Río Negro and Tacuarembó:
• 32 in Cerro Largo, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Rocha and Treinta y Tres.

Additionally the project also involves the development of 60 schools for the Institute of Child and Adolescent of Uruguay (INAU).

The second call is expected to be published in March 2017.