Overview of the market

• Colombia has consolidated itself a regional economic power, although its traditional inequality levels continue (like in most Latin American countries), especially related to the contrasts of cities vs. countryside or central urban districts vs. urban periphery. ​
• All in all, Colombia cannot be qualified neither as an emerging market nor a mature market. Therefore, GOOSE firms need to not regard local firms as merely local, uncompetitive at the international scale, including in niches within frontier sectors, such as ICT or Health.​
• That being said, the economy has loopholes; i.e. the sectors value chains are not as diverse and developed as in Europe, all of which can be taken advantage by European players.​
• It is one of the first Latin American countries to develop and implement a centralized online system for public procurement. ​
• As with the rest of the continent, bureaucracy requires to be set into the equation; the period of tendering and execution can extend much longer to what European companies are used to.​
• Doubtless, the cultural proximity with Catalonia/Spain exist, which can be a leverage for firms from the other GOOSE partners.

Opportunities to explore by GOOSE
to help European SMEs:

• Although the capital concentrates the lion’s share of public bodies, there is life beyond Bogotá: in second-tier cities, such as Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla or Bucaramanga, there is latent demand in some segments concerning to the Green economy or Smart cities. ​
• Colombia lacks behind its Latin-American peers in physical infrastructure, specially concerning mobility. Accordingly, there are ambitious plans to tackle it, of which GOOSE will scrutinize its path of execution.​
• With some reason, there are sectors more opened than others, especially those in which foreign technology/management offer a clear competitive advantage vis-à-vis local players. ​
• The country has handicaps in hospital infrastructure, needing to import almost everything connected to hospitals. All of this implies a high potential for assisting foreign (i.e. EU) suppliers, to win business through procurement, whether they are service companies or industrial ones. ACCIÓ has already worked successfully with several firms in the sector, as well as in the Green economy and Smart cities. ​
• The country is taking the Energy transition seriously, considering today’s mix of hydro and thermal as the main energy sources; as such, it is taking steps ahead of its neighbours, in promoting Renewable energies and Electric mobility, spurring high interest from European/Spanish firms.​
• It has high potential in photovoltaic and wind, specially, which should be exploited sooner than later, considering Colombia’s goal in generating 15% of energy from new renewable energy (beyond hydro).​
• Also worth stressing is the prospective on environmental services, such as in decontamination, solid waste treatment, as well as ICT related to e-Government.  

GOOSE’s FACT SHEET ON COLOMBIA

Public Procurement factsheet for COLOMBIA gives you a quick overview of what you need to know when tendering in Colombia. You can find it in the Library