The reactivation of public projects with the end of the pandemic and the arrival of the first European funds placed the public works tender at its highest level since the previous financial crisis. In 2022, between state companies, ministries, autonomous communities and town halls, projects worth 30,074 million euros were tendered in Spain, 27% more than in the previous year. The figure is also the highest since 2010, according to data released Thursday by the Seopan construction association.
The recent history of public bidding accurately reflects the evolution of the economy. In 2007, also according to data from the construction companies, works were put out to tender for 45,000 million euros, after which a dramatic drop began in 2008 that reduced the figure to just 6,000 million in 2021. At that time, a recovery began that, despite the pandemic, has not been cut short.
The result of the progressive improvement is the data for 2022. The state administration, including public companies, tendered works for 8,376 million, 7% more. The autonomous communities did so for 10,148 million, 48% more, and the municipalities, for 11,548 million, 30% more.
There is no breakdown for the municipalities, but for the rest of the administrations there is, and this is where regional trends and gaps can be seen. In the state effort, the operator of the railway network, Adif, was the most active, with 4,130 million, 2.6% more, ahead of the General Directorate of Highways, with 1,150 million, 1.3% less. Aena airports tendered works for 362 million, 23% less.
The most striking distribution is the regional one. The Community of Madrid ended the year with tenders for 2,419 million, 118% more, ahead of the Generalitat de Catalunya, which started works for 1,553 million, 86% more. The Junta de Andalucía, with 1,097 million, and the Basque Government, with 909 million, occupy the following positions.
Thanks to the impulse of the city councils, buildings became the public works par excellence, with 11,481 million, 37% more. They were ahead of the favorite effort of the State and the autonomous communities, which is transport, with 9,903 million, 6.5% more.
