The contracting table of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona has awarded the highest score to Veolia in the technical evaluation of the megacontract for water supply, valued at €1 billion and affecting eight metropolitan municipalities.
The French group Veolia has taken a giant step towards securing the public contract for drinking water supply in eight municipalities of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB), a tender valued at €1 billion. The resolution of the so-called 'envelope B', published on July 21, grants Veolia the maximum possible score — 49 out of 49 points — in the evaluation of technical aspects, positioning it as the best-placed candidate ahead of the opening of the economic offer.
The technical criteria that tipped the balance
The 'envelope B' contained documentation related to the aspects evaluated through value judgments, without yet including the economic offer. The most weighted block has been the service exploitation plan, with a maximum of 23 points, where issues such as water quality control or improvement of the hydraulic balance are analysed. This is followed by the project for organisation and management of the service (15 points), focused on maintenance tasks of the supply systems, and the organisational structure of the personnel (8 points). In all these sections, Veolia has obtained the maximum rating.
The complete ranking of the six candidates shows fierce competition. The joint venture formed by Aqualia (FCC) and Aguas de Valencia has achieved 45.3 points, while the joint venture of the French group Saur stands at 41.8 points. Further behind are the joint venture of Facsa, GS Inima and Constructora de Calaf (41.2 points), the joint venture of the Portuguese group Indaqua (41.2 points), and lastly, Sacyr Agua (37.6 points).
The 'envelope C', the key to the award
The battle for the contract is not yet decided. The opening of the 'envelope C', which includes the economic offer and other documents evaluable through automated formulas, is still pending. This third and final envelope, which will be resolved after the summer, will be decisive in determining which company or temporary union will take the concession. The economic offer can completely alter the current ranking, as its weighting is crucial in the overall calculation.
The contract, with an estimated value of €1 billion and a duration yet to be determined, encompasses the supply of drinking water in eight municipalities of the AMB: Cervelló, Corbera de Llobregat, Molins de Rei, La Palma de Cervelló, Ripollet, Sant Andreu de la Barca, Sant Cugat del Vallès and Tiana. In the other 23 cities of the AMB, including Barcelona, the supply is currently managed by Aigües de Barcelona, which is also partly owned by Veolia (70%), Criteria (15%) and the AMB itself (15%).
For the residents of these eight municipalities, the outcome of the tender could mean changes in water management, although the service must be maintained to the same quality standards. The AMB guarantees that the transition, in the event of a change of operator, will be gradual and without interruptions. The final decision is expected next autumn.
