Company Investigated in Operation Car Wash Wins BRL 594 Million Bid for New Federal Project

Written by Sara Aquino

Published on 08/08/2025 at 10:03

Updated on 08/08/2025 at 10:08

A Construbase, que teve executivo condenado na Lava Jato por propina a Petrobras e PT, venceu a licitação de R$ 594 milhões para a sede do TRF-1. Imagem: ASPEC

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Construbase, Which Had Executive Convicted in Lava Jato for Bribery to Petrobras and PT, Won the Bid of R$ 594 Million for the TRF-1 Headquarters.

In a development that raises serious discussions in the Brazilian legal and political scenario, the construction company Construbase, which has a history of investigations in Operation Lava Jato, emerged victorious in a high-value public bidding.

The company won an important R$ 594 million bid from Novacap to build the headquarters of TRF-1, the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region.

The construction company’s victory, which holds the largest share in the winning consortium, raises questions about the effectiveness of punishments and institutional memory in government contracting.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

The Dark Past of the Construction Company and Its Leaders

Construbase and its executives are not unknown to the news.

The company and its directors were severely impacted by Operation Lava Jato, which exposed a series of corruption schemes in public contracts.

In one of the most notorious episodes, the company’s commercial director at the time, Genésio Schiavinato, and the owner, Vanderlei de Natale, were detained at different stages of the investigation, which demonstrates the seriousness of the allegations.

Genésio Schiavinato Júnior’s involvement in the corruption scandals was deemed serious by the judiciary. In a trial, the businessman was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

A legal process resulted in the conviction of Genésio, who was found guilty by judges for bidding fraud and for paying a bribe of R$ 20 million to representatives of Petrobras and PT, related to the Novo Cenpes project, a highly visible project of the state-owned company.

Genésio’s legal saga continues. Currently, the case is pending in the Regional Electoral Court of Rio Grande do Sul (TRE-RS).

The businessman’s defense seeks to terminate the process, citing the statute of limitations for the crime, and requests the release of R$ 4.7 million in assets that were blocked by the court.

In addition to the cases already mentioned, the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) also included him in accusations of being one of the operators of a corruption and money laundering scheme, specifically regarding the contract for the Angra 3 Nuclear Power Plant.

The history of the construction company and its leaders is extensive and raises a crucial debate about morality in public contracting, especially when the contractor is an institution of the judiciary itself.

The Bid and the Next Steps of the Contract

Despite the judicial past of its main executives, Construbase has no legal impediments to sign the construction contract.

This means that, if the consortium’s choice is upheld after the appeal phase, the company may proceed with the work.

The Novacap bid was won by the Consortium Tribunal Novacap, in which Construbase holds a 40% stake.

The winning consortium will be responsible for carrying out a series of complex services, as stipulated in the notice. The obligations include:

Complete preparation of the basic and executive architecture and engineering projects. The responsibility also extends to the “As Built” projects, which detail the work “As Constructed”.

Obtaining all necessary licenses, grants, and approvals from the competent authorities.

Execution of all engineering works and services.

Supply and installation of all fixed furniture for the new headquarters.

Assembly, performance testing, pre-operation, and other technical operations necessary for the final delivery of the new headquarters of the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region (TRF-1).

The construction company’s victory in the R$ 594 million bid for such a high-visibility and important project raises a serious question about the effectiveness of punishments in the Brazilian legal system.

The situation highlights the complex relationship between the history of companies and their participation in government contracts.

The question that remains is: how can this situation influence public perception regarding public procurement and the integrity of the companies involved?

Company Investigated in Operation Car Wash Wins BRL 594 Million Bid for New Federal Project

Construbase, Which Had Executive Convicted in Lava Jato for Bribery to Petrobras and PT, Won the Bid of R$ 594 Million for the TRF-1 Headquarters.

The Dark Past of the Construction Company and Its Leaders

The Bid and the Next Steps of the Contract

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Company Investigated in Operation Car Wash Wins BRL 594 Million Bid for New Federal Project

Construbase, Which Had Executive Convicted in Lava Jato for Bribery to Petrobras and PT, Won the Bid of R$ 594 Million for the TRF-1 Headquarters.

The Dark Past of the Construction Company and Its Leaders

The Bid and the Next Steps of the Contract

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