09/14/2008 15h18
BNDES assumes the duty of developing infrastructure projects for public tender
Folha de S. Paulo - 09/14/2008
BNDES (Brazilian Development Bank), main long-term financing institution in the country, has just taken on a new role in the Brazilian economy. The new department of projects' structuring of the bank and its partnership with multilateral institutions (such as the IFC and IDB) and Brazilian private banks promise to expedite the offer of infrastructure's undertakings which will be available to the federal government for public tender. BNDES' goal is to have at least 50 projects ready to be bid within ten years, but this figure may be even bigger. Among the focuses of the bank are the concession of roads, railroads and airports. Among the projects under development are the BR-470 highway, in the state of Santa Catarina, the BR-101 highway, in the segments of the states of Espirito Santo and Bahia, and the privatization of the international airports of Galeão, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and Viracopos, in Campinas (SP), among other projects. The selection of the projects to be developed will be made by the federal government. The responsibility of the bank is to deliver the projects ready for concession. Under the command of Luciano Coutinho, BNDES' goal is to recreate the capacity of structuring undertakings and support a sort of national projects bank. BNDES will play a relevant role, but it will not be the only institution to finance funds for the development of undertakings that may be bid. The first non-reimbursable fund will have R$ 20 million (US$ 12.3 million) and will be managed by the bank's area of structuring of projects. There is a second fund of US$ 4 million - and it may reach US$ 12 million - to pay for the studies of more urgent undertakings. The financing is provided by IFC and IDB (Inter-American Development Bank). Newly-created EBP (Brazilian Company of Projects) is an example of how this business interests the private capital. BNDESPar, the bank's participations branch, is one of the nine partners of that new company. Eight banks take part in this company. Namely: Bradesco, Itaú, Unibanco, Santander, Citibank, Votorantim, Espírito Santo and Banco do Brasil. EBP does the procurement and coordinates the development of infrastructure projects.
