The World Bank Thursday debarred three construction companies for 18 months for “knowingly misrepresenting work progress” during a bank-funded project in Argentina.
Gavinor, S.R.L., J.C. Segura Construcciones S.A., and their joint-venture, Constructura J.C. Segura Construcciones S. A.-Gavinor S.R.L. — all based in Salta, Argentina — were working under the Second Provincial Agricultural Development Project.
The project was designed to help small and medium sized agricultural producers in Argentina be more profitable and productive.
The World Bank’s announcement cited “the companies’ fraudulent practice of knowingly misrepresenting work progress.”
The Argentina project closed in March 2017. The bank evaluated it as “moderately unsatisfactory.” The evaluation didn’t publicly mention the three construction firms debarred Thursday.
The three companies are ineligible to participate in World Bank-financed projects during their debarments.
In Negotiated Resolution Agreements with the World Bank, the firms took responsibility for the sanctionable practices and agreed to enhance their compliance standards.
The 18-month debarments qualify for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks.
In addition to the World Bank, parties to the 2010 cross-debarment agreement are the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the African Development Bank.
A list of all World Bank debarred entities and individuals is here.
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Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog.
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