Bids for the construction of the much-debated Hope Canal were opened yesterday in the boardroom of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) with most of the bid prices being above the engineer’s estimates.
Bids for the three-part project had been opened to the public from March 1, when the notice appeared on the government procurement website.
The section of the project which involves construction of the East Demerara Water Conservancy Northern Relief High Level Sluice Outfall Structure at Hope Dochfour Channel attracted four bidders.
The bidders are:
Courtney Benn Contracting Services Ltd.- $605,430,630
Samaroo’s Investments-$807,713,182
BK International Inc.- $752,739, 930.
Roopan Ramotar Investments- $831,374,775.
The engineer’s estimate was $638,361,885.
Four firms also submitted bids for the construction of a public road bridge at Hope/Dochfour, ECD
The bidders are:
Dipcon Engineering Services Ltd – $349,653,933
H Nauth & Sons- $358,422,645
Eagle Transportation and General Construction Inc. $411,990,600
R. Bassoo and Sons Construction Company- $620,834,162
The engineer’s estimate was $381,407,473
The project for the construction of an EDWC head regulator at Hope/Dochfour, ECD also attracted four bidders.
Companies which bid are:
BK International Inc.-$420,796,876
Roopan Ramotar Investments- $726,928,650
NABI Construction Inc.- $578,616,528
A&F General Construction Inc.- $499,478,700
The engineer’s estimate, according to the government procurement website was $447,019,810.
The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) is currently doing excavation work on the site for the proposed canal. This was seen as a way to cut down on the project which is estimated to cost approximately $3.6 billion in total.
The canal, when completed, is expected to help drain the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) into the Atlantic Ocean. Currently when the water reaches a high level in the EDWC, water is drained through the Maduni and Lama sluices into the Mahaica and Mahaicony creeks resulting in overtopping and flooding in these areas.
The project has attracted debate from engineering experts, but the government has said that the project has been subject to extensive technical studies.