Call for Bids to Privatize AySA

On May 15, 2026, the Ministry of Economy published Resolution 704/2026 in the Official Gazette, which authorized the call for National and International Multi-Stage Public Tender 504/2-0003-LPU26, for the sale to a strategic operator of all the shares the federal state owns in Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos SA (AySA). These represent 90% of the company's share capital.

AySA operates the concession for the public water and sewage services in the City of Buenos Aires and in 26 districts of the Province of Buenos Aires. The tender is part of the privatization process of AySA, authorized through Law 27742, which declared the company "subject to privatization" according to the terms of Law 23696.

Later, Decree 494/2025 established the procedure for the complete privatization of AySA through the sale of all shares the federal state holds. The 10% of AySA's share capital not included in the tender belongs to the company's employees, which are part of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

Resolution 704/2026 also approved the Particular Bidding Terms and Conditions that will govern the tender, which will be available on the CONTRAT.AR platform. According to them, the tender will be conducted in two stages. The first stage will involve evaluating the bids’ admissibility of legal, technical, economic, and financial requirements. The second stage will include the economic bids’ analysis of the selected bidders.

Among other requirements, the tender documents require the technical operator to demonstrate experience in the operation and management of companies providing public water and sewage services. They also include financial and equity requirements.

The call for bids must be published in the Official Gazette and on the World Bank website DGMarket, as well as on the websites of the Ministry of Economy and AySA. Inquiries regarding the tender documents must be submitted through CONTRAT.AR by August 12, 2026. Bids must be submitted through the same platform by August 27, 2026, and the opening of bids for the first stage will take place on that same day.

Finally, Resolution 704/2026 creates an ad-hoc Evaluation Committee of three regular and three alternate members. It also authorizes the Secretariat of Public Works to issue the clarifying circulars that may be necessary through the tender.

The call for bids marks a new milestone in the implementation of the privatization regime in Law 27742 and in the process of transforming AySA’s management structure.