Panama’s government procurement platform shows 342 open tenders valued at $780.4 million as of October 1, with nearly half closing within a week. The data reveals a striking pattern in Panama public contracts where competition varies dramatically depending on what the state is buying.
Of those 342 open acts, 194 worth $125.8 million will stop accepting proposals by October 8. The figures come from PanamaCompra, the official portal managed by the Directorate General of Public Procurement, and were processed by Nexo Licita as of October 1, 2026.
Public Procurement: 342 Open Tenders Worth $780.4M
Source: see article above
Competition Gaps in Panama Public Contracts
A persistent challenge in the procurement system involves single-bidder awards. Since 2024, 46 percent of all adjudicated acts with formal records received only one proposal. The problem is most acute in services, where 54 percent of awarded contracts attracted a single company.
Goods procurement shows a similar trend, with 48 percent of acts receiving just one bid. But infrastructure tells a different story entirely. Construction projects average 4.9 proposals per tender, and only 15 percent of works contracts end up with a single offeror. Services average just 2.2 proposals.
The database covers 13,534 adjudicated acts with formal records since 2024. It excludes smaller purchases under $10,000 and direct contracting, which do not publish received proposals.
Panama Public Contracts With Single Bids by Category, 2024–2026
13,534 contracts awarded with a record of award in PanamaCompra since 2024. Services: 3,787 awards, 2.22 average proposals. Goods: 7,997 awards, 2.38 average proposals. Works: 1,750 awards, 4.87 average proposals. Includes purchases over $10,000 and tenders.
Source: PanamaCompra (DGCP), panamacompra.gob.pa
Major Infrastructure Projects Driving Current Spending
Construction dominates the money currently open for bidding. A total of 83 works contracts account for $497.7 million of the $780.4 million available. Services represent 107 acts worth $229.7 million, while goods make up 152 acts totaling $52.9 million.
The single largest open tender is the expansion of the South Pier at Tocumen International Airport’s Terminal 2, valued at $208.75 million. After four addenda, the deadline for proposals is now October 16, pushed back from the original September 28 closing date in August.
Three other significant tenders close in the coming weeks. Electricity supply for Metro Lines 1 and 2, worth $84.2 million, closes October 19. That same day, the National Internet Network 3.0 connectivity contract valued at $30 million also closes. The Los Santos Judicial City project, worth $39.5 million, closes October 21.
Implications for Suppliers and Transparency
For businesses selling goods or services to the Panamanian state, the data underscores a sobering reality. Many contracts are effectively won without competitive pressure, particularly in service categories. This concentration of single-bidder awards raises questions about value for public money and the effectiveness of procurement rules designed to foster competition.
The contrast between infrastructure and services is especially telling. Construction’s robust competition suggests that when projects are large, visible, and technically complex, more firms participate. Services, often smaller and less scrutinized, attract fewer bidders.
PanamaCompra processes data from the Directorate General of Public Procurement. The platform tracks public acts from 2015 through 2026, with 2.07 million total acts recorded. The current snapshot of 342 open tenders reflects the state’s ongoing demand for goods, works, and services across multiple sectors, from airport expansion to judicial infrastructure and public transit electricity supply.