Mexico City renewed its Ecobici bike-share system contract for 10 years [1] following an international tender process that lasted only 10 days [2].
The rapid renewal has sparked accusations of opacity from local legislators. The controversy centers on whether the speed of the procurement process compromised transparency and fair competition for the city's primary sustainable transport network.
Royfit Torres González, coordinator of the Movimiento Ciudadano bench in the local congress, said the timeline of the bidding process was problematic. According to the tender details, participating companies were given only three days [1] to prepare and submit their technical and economic proposals.
Under the terms of the new agreement, the city plans to modernize the system and expand the fleet to 15,000 bicycles [1]. The contract extension, which began in 2024, ensures the continued operation of the bike-share service for the next decade [1].
The Secretaría de Movilidad oversaw the process to ensure the system's continuity. However, the short window for proposals has led to claims that the process was an "express" tender designed to favor specific outcomes rather than open competition [2].
Despite the political friction, the expansion to 15,000 units [1] remains a key goal for the city's urban mobility strategy. The government said that the international tender was the appropriate mechanism to secure the necessary upgrades for the fleet.
“The tender process lasted 10 days.”
The tension between the need for rapid infrastructure modernization and the requirements of transparent public procurement often creates political volatility in Mexico City. By shortening the bidding window to three days for technical proposals, the city government risked the legal validity of the contract and invited scrutiny over potential favoritism, even as it pursues necessary growth in carbon-neutral transit.
