Roads Authority tenders access study for El Tatio to safeguard the geothermal environment

The Road Directorate, under the Undersecretariat of Public Works of the Ministry of Public Works, has called for a public tender to contract the pre-feasibility study to define the road access alternative to El Tatio, in the Antofagasta Region. The competition is processed through the www.mercadopublico.cl platform and was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,527, on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, Section IV, with the official reference CVE 2851379.

The objective of the contract, titled “Improvement of Altiplanic Route Road Connection: El Tatio Accesses, Antofagasta Region,” is to define a road alternative that protects the geothermal environment and ensures safe and efficient connectivity through technical, environmental, social, and economic evaluations. The notice is signed by the Director of Roads, Giovanni Calderón Bassi.

Contract Data

The study is financed with sectoral resources and contemplates an execution period of 580 days. The official budget has not been made public and will be disclosed during the opening of the economic bids.

• www.mercadopublico.cl portal ID: 5048-41-O126.
• Contract code (SAFI): 426.232.
• Type of contracting: unit prices and lump sum, with adjustment according to CPI variation.
• Financing: sectoral.

Requirements to Participate

To apply, interested parties must comply with the tender documentation and have a current registration in the MOP Registry, in the following specialties:

• Planning and Feasibility: specialty 1.1 General (Multidisciplinary Development), First Superior category.
• Civil Engineering: specialties 1.3 Transport Systems and 4.9 Road Works, First or Superior category.

The tender documents can be downloaded from the www.mercadopublico.cl website starting from the date of the notice publication.

Process Calendar

The schedule sets the following key dates for the development of the competition:

• Inquiries: September 9, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
• Responses: September 22, 2026, at 8:00 PM.
• Clarifications: October 5, 2026, at 8:00 PM.
• Closing of technical and economic bid reception: October 6, 2026, at 3:30 PM.
• Opening of technical bid: October 6, 2026, at 4:00 PM.
• Opening of economic bid: October 21, 2026, at 11:00 AM.

Relevance for the Sector

The tender opens a business opportunity for engineering consultancies and planning and feasibility firms, which must demonstrate experience in road works and transport systems. The assignment acquires special relevance due to the sensitivity of the geothermal environment of El Tatio, one of the most important geothermal fields in South America, which requires a design that reconciles connectivity with environmental protection. The awarding of the study will mark the starting point for the future realization of the road connection in the Antofagasta Region.

Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,527, August 18, 2026, Section IV, p. 1 (official reference: CVE 2851379).