The social value of public works

The construction of infrastructures gave our country the exponential leap it needed after the restoration of democracy, the introduction of constitutionalism and its inclusion in the European Economic Community, which gave rise to the current European Union. Undoubtedly, brutal, brutish, isolated and backward after 40 years of international isolation, today’s Spain has had the opportunity to join Western countries on its own, thanks to the recovery of the basic infrastructures that allow for the collective development of society. Spanish. The province of Alicante took advantage of this and moved forward in assimilation to European standards as a pillar of attraction for citizens in our region looking for a place to rest, live, work and invest. Universities, highways, an airport, several hospitals, a high-speed train line, etc. construction explains the province we have today.

Although fundamentally important in the 1990s, it is an unfinished leap that is necessary to increase the competitiveness of our companies and productive sectors, as our province has driven significant investment projects over time.

Completing these in the short or medium term is crucial for many companies today that have to connect with the rest of the world. Public Works strengthens, structures and protects the area. Public works is urbanization for highways, railways, industrial or residential land, but it also represents the ability to produce the essential elements for the consolidation of the Welfare State. Without schools, universities, hospitals, health centres, sports or cultural facilities and many more, it is not possible to exercise some of our basic and basic citizenship rights. Therefore, Public Works has an undeniable social value.

And today he is in danger. Public Works needs a response from the administrations as well as social recognition that will enable it to survive the ongoing crisis situation. In 2020, public tenders for construction works fell by 26%, while contracting contracts contracted by up to 40%. In 2021, which seems to be a recovery year, the increase in raw material prices, logistics distribution problems and an increase in energy costs began. As an example, last year corrugated steel prices rose 48%, aluminum 43%, wood 86%, oil 46% and electricity prices up to 584%. It’s diabolical to build anything. A situation that worsened in 2022 and accelerated the complexity of the situation with the Russian invasion of Ukraine after February 24.

The Spanish Government has responded to some extent to the need of companies in the sector with exceptional measures to review prices by Royal Decree 3/2022, but it has clearly been insufficient and has left substantial margins that they have set many times. companies and many of the workers they support are in trouble.

In addition, these measures will not be sufficient unless the strictness of the Law on Public Sector Contracts, which imposes complex and impractical demands on the Administration, is not combated. And it creates the conditions that lead to a lack of competition in the current bidding processes, because they are not affordable for companies in the face of the market-pull price spiral. In this country’s tenders, the ‘abandoned’ situation is getting more frequent every day in the tenders left empty in a way that leaves hundreds of projects of different administrations without a future.

For this reason, a clear review of tender prices, some specifications where the price is not decisive, more technical capacity, quality and solvency, and a Law on Public Sector Contracts that are more flexible and can easily adapt to situations such as the current situation are required. 1. A new model advocating public quality, not under ‘low cost’ concepts, convinced that investing in the public creates social wealth and collective opportunities. Our role is essential for the progress of society, without forgetting that the ability to invest the European Funds is at stake. It takes a bet on the concept of public investment, it takes ambition to defend a strategic sector. To understand the social value of public works, a desire for growth, power of development and awareness are required.