The joint venture heads a shortlist of three groups of US-based companies that submitted revised bids for the project in early March after changes to the scope of works (MEED 7:3:03). The other bidders are: Morganti, with France's Ondeoand Metcalf & Eddy; and C2HM Hill. A fourth prequalified group led by Black & Veatch Internationaldeclined to bid.

USAID is now assessing the technical aspects of each bid, such as power consumption. A selection is expected by the end of May.

To be implemented on a design and build basis, the project involves construction of a 55 million-cubic-metre-a-day plant by the Dead Sea. Treated spring water will be conveyed through a 40-kilometre-long, 1,200-millimetre-diameter pipeline to the Nabouq reservoir, close to the international airport in Amman (MEED 13:9:02).