The end of the electoral cycle has promoted the bidding for public works in Catalonia. According to data from the Chamber of Contractors, the concession of projects has increased by 34% in 2022 to reach a value of 3,964.5 million euros.
The growth has been widespread in all public administrations. Municipal tenders have grown by 11% and have accounted for 40% of the activity. Those related to the Generalitat have skyrocketed by 67% and have meant one in three projects while those of the State have grown another 49%.
Among the major projects that have been carried out, the undergrounding of the R2 train line in Montcada and Reixac, the extension of the Llobregat-Anoia railway line of the Generalitat and a framework agreement for the rehabilitation of Barcelona Municipal Services stands out.
Despite the increase, the Chamber of Contractors has ensured that 2022 has not been an easy year for the sector due to the increase in the prices of raw materials, energy costs and the rise in interest rates, which has made it difficult for access to credit.
Due to the adverse situation, the number of dissolutions has grown, with construction being the sector with the highest disappearances of companies, 26% of the total with 586 dissolved companies (1% more than in 2021). The number of bankruptcies has also skyrocketed, with an increase of 26%, well above other sectors.
The increase in costs has also caused a significant number of tenders to be abandoned. In total, 573 works valued at 166 million euros have not been awarded. “We ask that the mechanisms for updating prices in tenders be expedited. It is inconceivable that many projects are presented with prices that do not reflect the new pricing policy,” said Lluís Moreno, president of the entity, who recalled that in 4 out of every 10 projects, barely 1 or 2 bidders have appeared.
Among other proposals, the Chamber has also considered it essential to increase public-private coordination in attracting aid from European Next Generation funds. “In 2022, only 324 projects valued at 633 million euros have obtained this aid. It represents an increase of 16% but there is still a long way to go,” Moreno lamented.
The entity has also once again called for a historic demand: that administrations at all levels make recurring real investments worth 2.2% of Catalan GDP, regardless of electoral cycles. On average in the last 10 years, annual tenders have been 0.67% of Catalan GDP.
