Last year the number of requests for public works bids fell across all areas of government. National, regional and local governments cut the number of contracts by 45% -- far from the 39,882 from 2008. This is the result of the building boom that created the crisis in the first place.
Major construction firms have stayed afloat by channeling most of their business to foreign countries. This is not a temporary move. Even though construction investment will return to Spain one day, it will not hit past levels any time soon and the globalization of building jobs will not reverse the direction it has taken. When investment in public works returns, officials will be selective in what projects to undertake. They will also be more transparent and enact better controls on public funds.
