New Panama Waste Collection Tender Report Recommends Aseo del Este Contract

On November 21, a new report will be presented recommending the contract be awarded to the Aseo del Este consortium, a rival to Istmo Green. The last complaint that led to the entity's decision was filed by the Istmo Green Panamá, S.A. consortium, which operates in Zone 4, comprising Tocumen, Pedregal, Mañanitas, Juan Díaz, Las Garzas, San Martín, 24 de Diciembre, and Pacora. The first report was submitted on October 28, and the commission warned that Istmo Green did not comply with the requirements of the tender documents. In Zone 3, which includes Chilibre, Alcalde Díaz, Las Cumbres, Ernesto Córdoba, and Caimitillo, the only company was Roca Atlántica, S.A., which offered $39.3 million. In the same year, in March, the AAUD took over the management of the Cerro Patacón landfill, which it continues to manage to this day. This Thursday marks six months since this public tender was called by the Cleaning Authority (AAUD) with a reference price of $140 million. In Zone 2, comprising the districts of Betania, Pueblo Nuevo, San Francisco, Río Abajo, Parque Lefevre, and Don Bosco, Istmo Green competed without a rival and submitted a proposal for $46.3 million. This motivated the consortium to file a complaint, which prompted the Cleaning Authority (AAUD) to partially annul the report and demand a new review. Initially, the contract was for one year; however, with the latest tender, it has been extended to 84 months or seven years. Aseo del Este submitted an offer of $39.3 million, while Istmo Green's was $44.7 million. A third report will have to be prepared by the evaluating commission that is reviewing the tender to award the waste collection service in most of the capital. The AAUD is only responsible for waste collection in Zone 1, which consists of the districts of San Felipe, Santa Ana, El Chorrillo, Calidonia, Curundú, Bella Vista, and Ancón. Under this model, the selected companies are in charge of collection, sweeping, cleaning, and transportation of urban, commercial, and domestic waste. Zone 4 was the only one where two proposals were presented, which has generated this divergence. This new waste management model began to be implemented in the capital district from July 2023. The decision of the Public Procurement Directorate to order the total annulment of the report was revealed on December 12. It is estimated that between 2,000 and 2,500 tons of garbage are generated daily in the capital, a figure that rises in December.