TozziniFreire advises Copasa on BRL 237m bid
TozziniFreire Advogados has advised Copasa (Minas Gerais Water and Sewerage Company) on structuring the integrated bidding process for the construction of an ultrafiltration system at the Bela Fama Water Treatment Plant (ETA Bela Fama), located in the municipality of Nova Lima, Minas Gerais. The winning bid, approved on June 6, 2025, under CPLI bidding process No. 1120240100, exceeded BRL 237 million (approximately BRL 237,337,773.65).
TozziniFreire’s mandate covered comprehensive legal assistance throughout the entire bidding process, including the drafting, review, and negotiation of all legal instruments, documents, and acts required for the conduct of the process. The firm’s scope encompassed participation in all phases of the bidding process — from preparation and monitoring of the timeline to presentations and meetings with Copasa’s attorneys and representatives — as well as the preparation of legal opinions on legal, corporate, tax, financial, and regulatory matters, and full support through to the execution of the contract for the acquisition of the technology.
The ultrafiltration system technology was unprecedented within Copasa’s scope of operations. The complexity of the procurement process was heightened by the innovative nature of the technology involved, which required engagement with foreign companies and equipment manufactured outside Brazil. These factors led Copasa to retain TozziniFreire’s specialized services to prepare all legal documentation and provide advisory services throughout the process.
The project also carried significant urgency: given the risk associated with potential failures of local dams, Copasa needed to begin construction promptly to secure a reliable water supply for the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region — an area that has historically faced vulnerabilities in water supply. Once completed, the project is expected to be one of the most significant infrastructure undertakings in Copasa’s history.
TozziniFreire’s team was led by partners Leonardo Miranda (pictured left) and Caio de Souza Loureiro (pictured right), supported by Adriana Ferreira Tavares, Gabriel Ene Garcia, and Filipe Camponez Brambilla.
