Mato Grosso Court Halts R$21.5 Million Road‑Infrastructure Contract Over Irregularities

The Tribunal de Contas de Mato Grosso (TCE-MT) ordered the suspension of a R$ 21.5 million public bidding process initiated by the Consórcio Intermunicipal de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social do Vale do Rio Cuiabá (Cides/VRC). The bid aimed to contract a single firm for technical consultancy services covering urban and road infrastructure across 13 municipalities.

Councillor Waldir Júlio Teis cited a representation alleging that the single‑lot structure reduced competition and lacked concrete justification for consolidating diverse services. The court found the consortium’s explanation “predominantly conceptual” and insufficient to demonstrate technical, financial, or operational impacts of a divided lot. The suspension remains in effect pending a merit judgment on the representation.