State oil company Saudi Aramco received bids in late-March for the residential package of the 466,000-square metre King Abdullah Petroleum Studies Research Center (Kapsarc) in Riyadh.  

According to a source close to the project, at least eight contractors submitted bids for the estimated SR1.9bn ($506m) residential package. The package includes 188 villas, two apartment blocks, a clubhouse and associated infrastructure.

The bidders include:

• Al-Yamama Company for Trading & Contracting (local)
• Baytur Construction & Contracting Company (Turkey)
• Drake & Scull International (UAE)
• El-Seif Engineering & Contracting (local)
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• SK Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Saudi Oger (local)
• Nesma & Partners Contracting Company (local)

Once bids were received, the companies underwent technical review by Saudi Aramco. According to the source, just three of the eight companies have passed the technical review although it is unclear which companies remain in the running.

Kapsarc is located 8 kilometres south of King Khalid International Airport and was originally supposed to be tendered as a single contract. Aramco subsequently decided to split the contract into separate packages for the residential, commercial, utilities and substructure (MEED 24:12:09)

The contract for the Kapsarc commercial package includes basic retail facilities and a research centre, library and conference hall designed by London-based Zaha Hadid Architects. The substructure for the research facility will be tendered separately.

The utilities packages will include a network of subterranean sewage/drainage tunnels as well as a photovoltaic farm, wind harnessing technology and power/water treatment plants.

Saudi Aramco launched the project in March 2009 as part of a $60bn investment programme, which includes the development of offshore and onshore oil production facilities.