Cement, diesel and labour indices published for public works price revision

The Regional Secretariat for Equipment and Infrastructure published in the Official Gazette of 5 November 2026 two notices with the reference values used to update the price of public works contracts already awarded. Notice No. 585/2026 publishes the cost indices for cement and diesel from April to August 2026, and Notice No. 586/2026 publishes the labour cost indices from April to June 2026.

What price revision means#

In public works contracts, the contracted price can be adjusted when the costs of materials and labour rise or fall significantly during execution. To do this, a price revision formula is applied, which compares reference indices with the indices for the months in which the work takes place. The notices provide the data for this formula. They do not change contracts or set new prices.

Cement and diesel indices (Notice No. 585/2026)#

The notice publishes five series: bagged cement and diesel, based on August 1983 as 100, and bulk cement, based on January 1999 as 100. The published values are as follows:

• April 2026: bagged cement 513.8; diesel 1173.3; bulk cement 246.0
• May 2026: bagged cement 532.4; diesel 1115.3; bulk cement 254.4
• June 2026: bagged cement 532.4; diesel 1065.3; bulk cement 254.4
• July 2026: bagged cement 532.4; diesel 1033.7; bulk cement 254.4
• August 2026: bagged cement 532.4; diesel 1180.2; bulk cement 254.4

The widest range is in diesel. The value fell from 1173.3 in April to 1033.7 in July, the lowest of the period, and rose to 1180.2 in August, the highest. Bagged cement remained at 532.4 from May to August, and bulk cement at 254.4 over the same interval. The August 1983 base indices apply to revisions whose reference index refers to August 1983 onwards, inclusive. The January 1999 base indices apply to references from January 1999 onwards, inclusive.

Labour indices (Notice No. 586/2026)#

The second notice publishes the regional labour cost indices, based on January 2004 as 100, for April, May and June 2026. They are divided into three tables: one overall index, 23 indices by type of work and 13 indices by trade.

The overall labour index in the Autonomous Region of Madeira stood at 181.8 across the three months. By type of work, the lowest value is that of water irrigation and drainage networks (F23), at 171.2, and the highest that of sports fields with changing facilities (F08), at 190.5. The values for each type of work are the same across the three months. By trade, the highest index is that of tilers/tile setters, at 253.4, and the lowest that of bituminous surface spreaders, at 140.6.

Who is covered and how it applies#

The labour indices only apply to price revision processes whose deadline for submitting tenders falls on or after February 2004, inclusive. For ongoing works whose reference index is earlier than January 2004, the index to use is obtained by multiplying the January 2004 base index by the relationship coefficient of 25.474, rounded to one decimal place. According to the notice, the indices include charges such as the Single Social Tax, workplace accident and occupational disease insurance, holiday pay, public holidays, paid absences, holiday and Christmas allowances and compensation for contract termination.

Legal framework#

The notices are published under Article 6 of Decree-Law No. 6/2004, of 6 January, which regulates price revision in public works contracts. This decree-law was applied to the Region by Regional Legislative Decree No. 13/2004/M, published in the Diário da República, I Série, No. 164, of 14 July 2004. Both notices are signed by the head of the office, Raquel João Martins da Silva.