The local Alec has emerged as the low bidder for the contract to build the Union Museum at Dubai’s Union House with a price of AED500m ($136m).

Alec’s price is about 2.7 per cent lower than the price of AED514m submitted by the local Al-Shafar General Contracting.

The other bidders were the local Al-Faraa General Contracting Company, with a price of AED515m, the local Arabtec Construction at AED523m, the local/UK Dutco Balfour Beatty at AED569m, and the local Al-Naboodah Contracting at AED609m.

Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) is the project client. It approved the final design and main components of the Union Museum last year. The design of the museum, awarded to the UK’s Halcrow, which is now part of US-based CH2M Hill, was inspired by portraits of the UAE’s rulers signing the constitution of the UAE on 2 December 1971.

The scheme is one of several cultural projects being developed by the RTA. Last year, it signed an AED184m ($50m) deal with Dubai Culture and Arts Authority to transform six of the emirate’s metro stations into art museums.