The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) announces Public Call for Tenders No. 004/2026 for the contracting of specialized consulting services to assess the current state of groundwater resources in the Amazon Aquifer Systems (AAS).
The consultancy is part of the project “Towards a better understanding of Amazonian Aquifer Systems for their protection and sustainable management” (GEF ID 11108), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and executed by ACTO.
The consultancy aims to conduct a state-of-the-art review, assessment, and interpretation of groundwater resources in the Amazon Aquifer Systems, drawing on geological, geophysical, hydraulic, hydrodynamic, hydrochemical, isotopic hydrology, and hydrogeological studies, as well as scientific, technical, national, and regional information. The assessment will strengthen the scientific knowledge base of the AAS, identify knowledge and monitoring gaps, and establish priorities for future research and monitoring.
The main areas of work include the physical characterization of the aquifer systems; interactions between surface water and groundwater and their relationship with atmospheric processes and climate change; the assessment of existing monitoring systems using in-situ measurements and remote sensing; and the analysis of groundwater processes at the project’s pilot sites.
The consultancy will be carried out in coordination with ACTO’s Project Coordination Unit (PCU) and the focal points of the Member Countries. The assignment comprises five deliverables and has an estimated duration of nine months.
Submission of Proposals
Eligible applicants include institutions, companies, and institutes duly registered in their respective countries, with the legal capacity to enter into contracts with international organizations and proven experience in at least three projects completed within the past ten years in fields related to water resources, groundwater, environmental sciences, or earth sciences.
Interested entities must submit their bids in three separate, clearly identified digital files or folders:
- Legal and tax qualification documents, in accordance with the requirements established in the Tender Documents.
- Technical qualification documents, including evidence of institutional experience and the qualifications and experience of the proposed technical team.
- Financial proposal and administrative expenses, including a detailed breakdown of costs and pricing for the services, covering all expenses necessary to carry out the consultancy.
The legal, tax, and technical qualification documents must not contain any financial information.
Deadline for submission of bids: October 23, 2026, at 18:00 (Brasilia time).
Bids must be submitted by email to projectosaa@otca.org, with the subject line:
“Bidding No. 004/2026: Contracting of consulting services for the assessment of the current state of groundwater resources – AAS Project”.
Requests for clarification and additional information may be submitted to the same email address until October 15, 2026.
Tender opening: October 26, 2026, at 09:00 (Brasilia time).
For complete information on the scope of the consultancy, expected deliverables and results, eligibility and evaluation criteria, required documentation, and other conditions, please consult Tender Documents No. 004/2026.
