Top Dutch companies among nine asked to bid to start construction of new Demerara Harbour Bridge before year-end

Last Updated on Friday, 19 March 2021, 15:17 by Denis Chabrol

Two world-renowned Dutch-headquartered companies are among nine that have been pre-qualified to bid for the construction of a new Demerara Harbour Bridge under two different financing models, according to the Public Works Ministry.

They are Ballast Nedam, and Boskalis. Ballast Nedam has constructed major bridges in neighbouring Suriname, and Boskalis has built major infrastructures in that neighbouring Dutch-speaking republic.

Government wants the successful bidder to start construction during the last quarter of 2021 and end in 2023.

The Public Works Ministry said bidders were told that would have to bid on two options- design, build and finance,  and a design-build-operate and finance option.

Of the 54 expressions of interest, nine have been shortlisted.

“The Government is pleased with the level of interest by globally competitive companies and wish to thank all companies that sought to be pre-qualified noting that the pre-qualification was a highly competitive process, resulting in detailed EOI/Pre-Qualification submissions of a high quality,” the Public Works ministry said.

Five others are Chinese companies including  as well as the Brazilian-headquartered Odebrecht Engenharia E. Construcao S. A. and the Italian-based Rizzani de Ecche.

A number of the prequalified companies, which have submitted expressions of interest,  have links to or are in joint venture (JV) arrangements with companies in Guyana, Suriname, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Public Works Ministry said the prequalified companies would be given three months within which to submit bids so that a preferred bid would be selected.

An information session was reportedly held on Monday, March 15.

Government last September advertised for expressions of interest and prequalification , and before the December 4 deadline,  various questions were raised by interested parties and they were answered both via a Virtual Workshop and addendums issued to registered parties, the ministry said.

Despite the limited number pre-qualified, the Public Works Ministry said government encourages all of the companies to continue to pursue the many opportunities in Guyana, as many of these companies are world-class.

Government lists the prequalified bidders as:

China State Construction Eng. Corp (China)

Ballast Needam Infra Suriname B.V.

China Geizhouba Group Co. Ltd (China)

JV-China Railway International Group Co. Ltd, China Railway Major Bridge Eng. Group Co. Ltd, Reconnaisance & Design Inst. Co. Ltd (China)

JV-China Road & Bridge Corp. Peutes y Calzadas Infrastructuras SLU (China and Spain)

JV-OECI S.A. and Odebrecht Engenharia E. Coonstrucao S. A. OEC (Brazil)

JV-China Railway Construction Corporation (International) Ltd., China Railway Construction (Caribbean a) Co. Ltd, and China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co. Ltd (China & Trinidad and Tobago)

Boskalis Guyana Inc Eiffage Genie Civil (Guyana & Netherlands)

JV-Rizzani de Eccher S. p. A & Preconco Ltd (Italy and Barbados)