Arcadi Spain, the Valencian Community’s Minister of Finance and Economic Model, asserted that the region is leading the way in standardizing how construction material prices are reviewed, adopting a guideline agreed with the industry. He noted that the Generalitat aims to provide legal certainty amid price adjustments connected to the impact of the Ukraine conflict and Russia’s actions. The guideline serves as a reference for both public administrations and companies with existing contracts.
Spain’s minister described the publication as a practical support document for construction contractors and contracting authorities. It outlines when a public contract may fall under the guideline, how to file a claim, the timeframes to assess direct or relevant impacts, and which stages require action, including considerations around payment timing.
These comments were made during a working meeting with representatives from the Valencian Community Public Works Contractors Federation (Fecoval) and the Alicante State Public Works Federation (FOPA). Attending the gathering were Daniel González Serisola, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, and María José Mira, Regional Secretary of Economic Model and Finance.
Arcadi Spain recalled that the Generalitat formally aligned with Royal Decree Law 3/2022 on 1 April, which introduced exceptional measures for price reviews in public sector construction tenders within the Valencian Community.
The minister explained that these exceptional measures were justified because the war in Ukraine intensified price pressures and forced many construction-related sectors to suspend operations due to rising costs. Those sectors that continued operating faced higher supply prices to offset additional costs, which contributed to significant price volatility.
He also highlighted the importance of public-private cooperation, noting that the Ministry of Finance issued a recommendation in 2021 for administrations to use reference prices when planning projects and to set a base budget for tendering related works, drawing on data from the Construction of IVE, as claimed by Fecoval.
The regional leadership stressed that the community’s collaboration with the construction industry is essential for consolidating, modernizing, and transforming the sector. This partnership is viewed as a driver for greater wealth, employment, equal opportunity, and lasting prosperity.
harmonization
Javier Gisbert, president of the Alicante State Federation of Public Works and Auxiliary Works (FOPA), spoke on behalf of Arcadi Spain to advocate for harmonizing criteria across ministries regarding price reviews in public tenders. He described it as one of the primary challenges facing Valencia’s public works sector.
The joint meeting with Fecoval’s representatives reflected a strong cooperative spirit from the ministerial side, giving industry stakeholders confidence that key demands affecting the sector will be addressed. Topics discussed included setting unified criteria, implementing the Public Contracts Law, and refining classifications and social provisions. Following the guide’s framework, created by the Ministry of Finance with broad recognition in other autonomous communities, the discussion also touched on applying price reviews to public contracts.
Gisbert emphasized that the minister’s commitment is crucial for acting as a liaison with the central government. There is a shared need to respond to requests linked to the latest price review decrees and to address significant gaps not covered in recent rounds of reviews.
FOPA appreciated the minister’s willingness to mediate between Valencian Community interests and those of the Central Government, recognizing that most regulatory decisions originate at the national level, which necessitates ongoing dialogue and alignment.