The Federative Republic of Brazil, through the Ministry of Health, has received a loan in various currencies from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) toward the cost of the Health Sector Reform Project (REFORSUS). It is intended that part of the loan proceeds be applied to eligible payments under the contract for the acquisition of medical and hospital equipment.

The Secretaria da Saúde do Estado da Bahia now invites sealed bids from eligible bidders for the supply of the medical and hospital equipment listed in Section VI - Schedule of Requirements of the bidding documents.

Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information from and inspect the bidding documents at the Secretaria da Saúde do Estado da Bahia (address below).

A complete set of bidding documents may be purchased by interested bidders on the submission of a written application to the same address and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount equivalent to US$ 50, in the form of a bank deposit in favor of Secretaria da Saúde do Estado da Bahia, with Guia de Recolhimento (GER) at Banco do Estado da Bahia S/A (BANEB) No. 028, agency No. 0067, account No. 729998-9 in the City of Salvador, Bahia state, Brazil.

The provisions in the instructions to bidders and in the general conditions of contract are the provisions of the IDB.

Bids must be accompanied by a security as specified in Section VI (Schedule of Requirements) and be delivered to the Special Bidding Committee by 1000 hours on 17 September 2001. They will be opened immediately thereafter in the presence of the bidders representatives who choose to attend at the office below.

Secretaria da Saúde do Estado da Bahia

Av. Luis Viana Filho (paralela) - 4a. Av.

Plataforma IV, Lado B, 1o. Andar, Sala 111

Centro Administrativo da Bahia

CEP 41750-300 Salvador, BA, Brasil

Tel: (55-71) 370-4157. Fax: (55-71) 371-0497