Building on the 125 km Bosa-Granada-Girardot stretch of the Bogota-Buenaventura corridor to begin in first quarter of 2003. Works include a 4.1 km single tunnel in Sumapaz. The segment will be awarded under a 16-year concession estimated to require investment of US$140 million. Visit www.invias.gov.co 35/02.Invias, Colombia's transport ministry, plans to open bidding this semester for a concession to build, operate and maintain a highway between Bogota and Girardot. Works include a four-lane, 121 km highway with the 4.5 km Santa Rosa tunnel in Boquerí³n to avoid a dangerous bent called Nariz del Diablo. Award is planned for second half of 2003 and construction would begin in 2004. Required investment: US$140 million. Visit www.invias.gov.co 07/03.Open call for tenders published by the national concessions institute (INCO), deadline 26th November, 2003 for design, construction, rehabilitation, operation and maintenance of the Bosa-Granada-Girardot highway. The 14-year concession entails the construction of a 126 km-long highway linking Bogota with Girardot, requiring a 4.3 km tunnel in Sumapaz. Visit www.mintransporte.gov.co/inco.htm, www.mintransporte.gov.co/inco/Bogota_Girardot_Pliego.doc, www.concesiones.gov.co and www.inverlink.com.co or contact Instituto nacional de concesiones, Gabriel Ospina Ramí­­rez, Edificio Ministerio de Transporte - CAN, Avenida el Dorado, Bogotí¡. Tel. +57 3240800, fax +57 3240800 (extension 1309), e-mail mintrans@mintransporte.gov.co or Inverlink, Carrera 7 n° 71 - 52 Torre B Piso 15, Bogotí¡ Tel. +57 3122726, fax +57 3123045, e-mail inverlink@inverlink.com.co. Read E-News Weekly 17/2003. 42/03.The process to select a concessionaire to operate the Bogota-Girardot highway has been suspended at the request of the interested bidders as the original early January deadline did not enable them to put together all the required details. The bidding process will reopen on 27th January, 2004 and close on 10th February. The winner will receive a 14-year concession to build and maintain a 126 km-long highway linking Bogota with Cundimarca department's capital Girardot, including a a 4.3 km tunnel. The project's USD160 million estimated cost will be recouped via tolls. 04/04.The national concessions institute (Inco) has awarded to consortium Promesa de Sociedad Futura Autopista Bogota-Girardot S.A. the concession for the Bogota-Girardot dual carriageway. The consortium includes Alejandro Char, Vergel y Castellanos Ingenieros Asociados, Alvarez y Collins S.A., MNV S.A., and Gas Kapital. The 126 km road link includes the 4.3 km El Boqueron tunnel, from the so-called Nariz del Diablo to the Sumapaz river bridge. Construction is expected to take four years. The total investment has been budgeted at Ps882 billion. Subscribe to E-News Weekly 17/2003. 29/04.Colombian highway concessionaire San Rafael is preparing to launch a number of tender processes for the construction of the Girardot-Ibagué highway and rehabilitation of the Ibagué-Cajamarca section. The company is currently working to conclude the concession contract signing process, taking all the legal steps necessary to start works as soon as possible. The concessionaire, awarded the project in July of this year, submitted a COP349 billion investment plan. The 20-year concession contract includes carrying out all the necessary technical and financial studies, including the project's environmental impact, along with the rehabilitation, construction, expansion and operation of the highway. Works will also include the construction of a tunnel and bypasses. Rehabilitation works will be carried out over 93.7 km of highway, while construction works will total 73.4 km. The concessionaire is expected to hire machinery and purchase steel, concrete, asphalt, and other construction materials, for a total of nearly COP333 billion. The concessionaire is formed by 10 companies: Aseo Técnico, Codesa, Constructora Colpatria, Constructora San Isidro, HB Estructuras Metí¡licas, Latinco, Mincivil, Sadelec, Termotécnica Coindustrial, and Topco. Section 2 is the 10.3 km Gualanday road bypass, a single carriageway with two 3.65 m lanes and 1.8 m shoulders. The project includes the single tube Deza tunnel, 1.8 km in length. Visit http://direccion.camara.gov.co/camara/site/artic/20060510/asocfile/apendice_a___gic___20_12_2006.doc 49/07.