Tenerife northern train project tender declared void

The tender process to develop a railway system for northern Tenerife has been declared void after the final bidders were disqualified for failing to maintain required anonymity. The Board of Directors of Metropolitano de Tenerife unanimously decided to exclude the remaining proposals after a technical report revealed that digital metadata in electronic files, such as PDFs and Excel spreadsheets, allowed the authors to be identified.

Three companies—Sener, Ardanuy Ingeniería, and an alliance between Consultans and Transconsult—were involved in the process. One firm failed to submit required documentation, while the other two breached the confidentiality rules essential for ensuring objectivity. A legal review concluded that the breach of anonymity was irreversible and could not be rectified without violating the contest rules.

The collapse of the project represents a setback for efforts to alleviate congestion on the TF-5 highway. Critics, including the Tenerife PSOE, have described the outcome as a “fiasco,” noting that the project's budget expectations shifted significantly during the process and that no viable mobility solution has been secured for the region despite the initial investment promises.