The Federative Republic of Brazil has received a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) toward the cost of the Pantanal Sustainable Development Program, which involves the Brazilian area of the Alto Paraguai watershed in the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. It is intended that part of the loan proceeds be applied to payments under the contract to support the program management at an estimated cost of US$ 5,7 million.

The Ministério do Meio Ambiente now invites eligible consulting firms from IDB's member countries to express their interest in providing the services. Interested consultants must submit information (legal, technical, financial and economical capacity) in order to participate in the pre-qualification process. Selected firms will then be invited to present technical and economical proposals, in accordance with the Terms of Reference for the program management.

Interested eligible firms may obtain the documents at the address below, as of 2 July 2001, from 0900 to 1200 and from 1400 to 1700 hours (Brasília time), upon payment of a R$ 300 fee, paid in cash or by check to the Ministério do Meio Ambiente. The contracting characteristics, criteria and pre-qualification methodology, and the presentation method of the information necessary to the evaluation will be part of the documentation.

Requests for clarification shall be directed to the Coordenação Geral do Programa Pantanal, at the same address, until five working days prior to the deadline for receipt of the pre-qualification documents, which will be 1700 hours (Brasília time) on 10 August 2001.

Ministério do Meio Ambiente

Secretaria de Qualidade Ambiental nos Assentamentos Humanos

Coordenação Geral do Programa Pantanal

SHIN Centro de Atividades 05, Lago Norte

Conjunto J, Bloco B, Salas 210 a 215

CEP 70762-540. Brasília, DF, Brazil