The two groups submitted revised financial bids in August, after which a letter of intent and notice to proceed were issued to the Samsung/Samcrete consortium. However, a formal award has awaited final revisions to the detailed designs in consultation with the project and construction manager, Fluor Daniel of the US, and the design consortium of US and local architects, engineers and consultants (MEED 16:7:04).

Samcrete has now completed the £E 26 million ($4 million) early works contract, which involved construction of substructures, earthworks and main service tunnels on the site, located to the southeast of the capital. The New Campus project team is preparing tender documents for the main utilities package - due to be issued in late October - which will involve construction of a central service complex regulating the power, water and wastewater networks and air-conditioning systems.

AUC's new home has a total built-up area of about 150,000 square metres. Sitting at the heart of the New Cairo residential development, the 260-acre campus is scheduled for completion in mid-2007. Landscape designs for the project are being finalised by a team led by the local Sites International, and several packages are due to be tendered by the end of the year.

Final designs are also being prepared by two teams of architects from Cairo University for an AUC presidential residence and an off-campus housing complex for faculty staff, both of which will be tendered independently of the main campus package in early 2005.