The Santa Cruz City Council intends to manage 255 public contracts throughout 2025, representing an increase of seven compared to the previous year, when 248 tenders were completed across all municipal services and departments. This information is derived from the local authority’s annual contracting plan for 2025, a document ratified by the municipal control commission on 23 December 2024.
The aim of the City Council is to integrate the new regulations for public tenders into the framework of its contractual activities, without detracting from any that may emerge following this agreement. Consequently, the Contracting service will present quarterly proposals for modifications to the plan as prompted by the administrative services of the council.
The mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, stated that “this contractual forecast for all services rendered by the City Council enables us to anticipate the processing of 255 contracts this year, following the budget approval that also occurred during last December’s plenary session.” He mentioned that “with this endorsement of the Contracting plan for the council and its dependent entities, we emphasise our commitment to transparency and the rationalisation of public expenditure, allowing us to manage the interests of Santa Cruz residents as effectively as possible.”
The Councilor for Works and Infrastructure, Javier Rivero, noted that “planning is crucial for ensuring successful outcomes, as it saves time during the subsequent execution of works, services, or supplies.” He highlighted that “having the municipal operations in order supports the governing body’s management in achieving the objectives set for the current term, which is a fundamental challenge, with citizens as the primary focus of our obligations.”
According to the proposed contracting plan, the sector anticipated to see the most significant increase is Citizen Security and Emergencies, with 61 contracts expected in 2025, up from 52 last year. This will include 32 for services, 27 for supplies, and one each for works and mixed contracts.
This is followed by Urban Projects, Infrastructure, and Works, which will have 27 contracts, five more than in 2024, split into 15 for the works sector and 12 for services. Meanwhile, in Mobility and Universal Accessibility, 22 contracts are projected for this year, three more than the previous year, with the majority (14) centred on services, three for works, two mixed, and one for the management of public services.
In other areas, although the anticipated tenders have decreased by between 1 and 8 compared to last year, the sectors projecting the highest contract numbers include Sports (33 compared to 34 in 2024); Strategic Planning (24, three less than last year); and Internal Administration (16, seven fewer than in 2024). Conversely, no public procurement is envisaged in Tax Management throughout 2025.
Concerning the types of municipal contracts, the most significant rise is expected in the supply sector, with 69 foreseen for this year, compared to 65 in 2024, although the largest proportion of tenders continues to be in services, with 122 contracts planned for this year, two fewer than last year. Additionally, a rise of five more contracts is projected for works, increasing from 33 to 38 in 2025. The concession of public works is the only aspect in which no contracts are anticipated to be executed by the Capital City Council this year.
In terms of the contracting processes, these will be conducted through simplified open tenders (93, compared to 71 in 2024); open procedures (71, an increase of seven); and minor contracts (42, down by twenty-one from 2024). Framework agreements will encompass 13 (eleven fewer); the dynamic acquisition system will consist of 13; and negotiated contracts without advertising will amount to 10 (five less), with two orders maintained through own means.
