The awarded service maintenance company of green spaces has had their contract expired for nearly five years. From 2005 to 2007 the construction cost the City of Buenos Aires government a total of $ 28,579,919, a monthly average of $ 1,190,830. The Auditor General of the City of Buenos Aires (AGCBA, for its acronym in Spanish) explained that despite the completion of the agreement, they continued to operate through the modality of direct recruitment, a process that should only be used exceptionally.

The AGCBA indicated that while the process for the new tender was initiated in 2009, it was approved and newly made last year. As explained by the audit once the contract expires, the bidding process "was extended for one year and then for 60 days according to article 7 of the contract". Thus, the due date of the contract "definitely expired on June 30th, 2008."

According to the report, between May and September of 2011 "they had been considering offers from the Technical Committee," approved last year over the period 2010, adding that "the official budget for this contract was $ 306,112,125."

Meanwhile, the AGCBA detected deficiencies in the maintenance of the Buenos Aires Squares. Here are some observations:

• Juan José Paso Square (Colegiales): "deteriorated benches, cracked walkways, and sharp edges on the playground," among others.

• Square Barrancas de Belgrano (Belgrano): "sidewalks and stairs are in a deficient state, lacks maintenance and poor lighting conditions, roads in an advanced state of deterioration" among others.

• García del Río (Nuñez) "missing grass in some areas, worn out furniture."

• Angel Grey Square - ex Aramburu (Flores), "lack of maintenance of furniture, lack of coverage, cleaning, and plant withdrawal."

• Air Force Square (Retiro Station): "filthy areas in the various green sectors, maintenance ratified by the state of the furniture."

And The Lowest Bidder Wins

The City Watchdog analyzed a sample of 15 cases of construction in city squares. From their analysis they found that "40% of companies" had amounts "above the official budget." For example, the official budget for the work done in Plaza Martín Fierro, Caramanian, by the company, was for $1,796,171, but the costs increased to $2,471,531. Meaning it cost 37.6% more.

The report, in turn, argues that in "100% of cases," the works are executed with an "excess of the arranged time period," as in the Plaza del Ángel Gris, which were completed in six months, but it actually took 18 months, or in the construction of Martín Fierro Square that it was stipulated in would take 13 months, but suffered delays of over three and a half months.

Furthermore, the AGCBA says that "none" of the jobs had a "final acceptance". Situation which, among other things, makes it "impossible to establish from when a construction job is in maintenance period (this is a process whose responsibility lays within the Directorate for Green Spaces) or guarantee (period under the responsibility of the contractor who executed the work)."