USTDA Supports Airport Network Expansion and Modernization in Brazil
July 25, 2012
(OPIC)
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded
a $345,060 grant to the Bahia State Infrastructure Secretariat (Secretaria de
Infrastructure do Estado Bahia / SEINFRA) to support the development of a
roadmap and implementation plan for the modernization and expansion of Bahia's
airport network. The grant was signed at the U.S. Consulate in Sao Paulo by
SEINFRA Chief of Staff Marcus Cavalcanti and USTDA Director Leocadia I. Zak.
With the largest economic output of any state in Northeastern Brazil, and the
fourth largest population in the country, Bahia is an instrumental component to
Brazil's economic growth. This airport network modernization and expansion
project will attract economic development, particularly in areas that
historically have not been easily accessible from Brazil's major commercial
centers.
"This project will help to improve the aviation infrastructure in Bahia, and
enhance efficiency within the State's civil aviation system," said Director Zak.
She added that the technical assistance could also generate significant
opportunities for U.S. companies to export aviation-related technology, goods
and services.
The USTDA grant will fund technical assistance for two portions of SEINFRA's
airport network modernization and expansion project. The technical assistance
will first help Bahia to prioritize upgrades for Feira de Santana Airport, which
will serve as a key logistics hub for the state once the development of highways
and rail lines in the region are completed. The second portion of the technical
assistance will provide a program to upgrade the remainder of Bahia's airport
network by identifying modernization needs and technologies that will allow
night operation capabilities at eight priority airports.
The technical assistance grant awarded today complements USTDA's efforts under
the U.S. Brazil Aviation Partnership, which was signed between the governments
of Brazil and the United States on April 9, 2012, during President Dilma
Rousseff's visit to Washington, D.C.
Next, SEINFRA will select a U.S. contractor to perform the technical assistance.
The opportunity to conduct the USTDA-funded technical assistance will be
competed on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. A link to the FBO
announcement will be posted to USTDA's website at www.ustda.gov. Interested U.S. firms should
submit proposals according to the instructions in the FBO announcement.
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