Public construction tender volume drops nearly a third, contracts fall by over 40% year-on-year

Data released by the Associação dos Industriais da Construção Civil e Obras Públicas Nacional (AICCOPN) show a sharp contraction in Portugal’s public infrastructure spending during the first nine months of the year. Tender announcements for construction contracts fell 29% compared with the same period last year, while the count of public procedures dropped roughly 30% from 6,196 to 4,316. The financial volume of contracts actually awarded through competitive bidding fell 52%, a decline partly explained by the absence of the high-speed rail segment that had boosted figures the previous year.

In contrast, contracts awarded via direct adjustment or prior consultation grew 32% to €713 million. The total value of contracts listed on the Portal Base reached €3.6 billion, marking a 43% year-on-year reduction, which the association says signals a deepening structural slowdown in the sector.