The Tocantins State Court of Auditors (TCE-TO) suspended a R$36.2 million tender from the State Secretariat for Agriculture and Livestock (Seagro) aimed at hiring companies to provide temporary structures for events.
The precautionary decision was signed this Friday (6) by advisor Severiano Costandrade, after technical analysis highlighted possible irregularities in the Electronic Auction notice nº 02/2026. The opening of proposals was scheduled for November 16th.
In a note, Seagro informed that it has already requested the Finance Secretariat (Sefaz) to suspend the bidding to evaluate the notes presented by the Court of Auditors. According to the body, the quantities foreseen in the notice were estimated based on demand and experience from previous editions of events promoted by the ministry.
The secretariat stated that the price registration was planned to attend fairs and events scheduled for 2027, including the Tocantins Agricultural Technology Fair (Agrotins), the largest agribusiness innovation and business fair in the northern region of Brazil.
According to Seagro, the early opening of the bidding process occurred due to Agrotins' forecast for May 2027 and the holding of other fairs throughout the year.
The objective, according to the secretariat, was to guarantee sufficient time for contracting services, assembling structures and carrying out technical inspections.
According to the TCE, the technical area identified flaws that could compromise the legality of the bidding process and competitiveness among participants. Among the problems highlighted are:
absence of mandatory rules of the Price Registration System;
lack of definition of minimum quantities to be quoted;
insufficient documents to justify the estimated quantities;
technical qualification requirements considered potentially restrictive to competition.
According to the analysis by the Coordination of Analysis of Acts, Contracts and Inspection of Engineering Works and Services (CAENG), Seagro did not present sufficient documentation to demonstrate how it arrived at the quantities of services provided for in the tender.
According to the TCE, the planning mentions previous hires as a reference, the process does not prove how much of these services were actually used nor does it justify the expected demand for the new hire.
Another questionable point involves the requirement for professionals from different areas of engineering, such as civil, electrical, mechanical, environmental and occupational safety.
For the technical sector of the TCE, the notice does not present specific justifications that demonstrate the need for all these specialties to perform the contracted services.
Full note from Seagro
The State Secretariat for Agriculture and Livestock of Tocantins (Seagro) has already requested the Finance Secretariat (Sefaz) to suspend the bidding to evaluate the notes presented by the Court of Auditors of the State of Tocantins (TCE/TO).
The price registration was planned to accommodate the holding of various fairs and events scheduled in Seagro's calendar for 2027, including Agrotins. The tender includes materials and services necessary for the assembly of tents, sheds and other structures, with estimated quantities based on demand and experience from previous editions of events promoted by Pasta.
The forecast for Agrotins to be held in May 2027, combined with the calendar of other fairs throughout the year, motivated the anticipation of the bidding process, aiming to guarantee an adequate deadline for contracting, assembling structures and carrying out technical inspections. The requirement for a specialized team took into account the size of the events and the care necessary for the safety of temporary structures.
The notice and its annexes were prepared in accordance with public procurement standards and received opinions from the competent bodies.
