Bahrain’s Works Ministry is planning to issue tender documents for construction contracts on two major sewage treatment plants (STPs) by the end of June.

The first will be the deal for the expansion of the existing Tubli STP, which will double the capacity of the facility from the existing 200,000 cubic metres a day (cm/d) to 400,000 cm/d. The ministry is currently evaluating prequalification proposals from 25 companies before it draws up a shortlist of firms it will invite to participate in the tender. The Tubli expansion is scheduled to be carried out between 2015 and 2018.

“We are finalising the prequalification list, and will issue the tender documents by end of June,” said Khalifa al-Mansoor, assistant undersecretary for sanitary engineering at the Works Ministry, speaking at MEED’s Bahrain Energy Forum in Manama on 23 April.

The 25 groups that submitted prequalification entries for the Tubli plant expansion are:

• Al-Kharafi Construction Company (Kuwait)/China State Construction Corporation (China)
• Saudi Tumpane (Saudi Arabia)/Leighton (Australia)/Wetico (Saudi Arabia)
• Combined Group Contracting Company (Kuwait)/Samsung Engineering (South Korea)
• KMC (local)/Mace Contractors (UAE)/Hyundai Rotem (South Korea)
• Six Construct (Belgium)/Canar (local)/Wabag (local)
• Acciona Agua (Spain)/Mushrif Trading (Kuwait)
• Mohamed al-Kharafi & Sons (Kuwait)
• Degremont (France)/Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) (Kuwait office)
• Larsen & Toubro Saudi (India/Saudi Arabia)/Waterleau (Belgium)
• OTV (France)/Saudi Arabian Bemco (Saudi Arabia)
• SNC Lavalin International (local)
• Korea Engineering (South Korea)/Crown Electro Mechanical (local)
• Al-Busaili Electromechanical Works (Saudi Arabia)
• Al-Arrab Contracting Company (Saudi Arabia)/ECOS (Russia)
• Mohamed Jalal (local))/GEGC (Saudi Arabia)/Imtech (UK)
• Gulf Consolidated Contractors (Saudi Arabia)
• Vinci (France)/SAUR (France)/Zamil (Saudi Arabia)/Artelia al-Moayyed (local)
•  China Gezhouba Group (China)
• Drake & Scull (UAE)/Aziz Contracting (Saudi Arabia)/Abeinsa (Spain)
• Bahrain Pipeline Company (local)/R Grobmann (Germany)
• Azmeel (Saudi Arabia)/Tecton (UAE)/WTE (Germany)
• Kuwait Systems Company (Kuwait)
• Al-Ghanim International (Kuwait)/PWT Wasser (Germany)/Metito (UAE)
• Masco (Saudi Arabia)/MTMM (Saudi Arabia)/Downtown Group (local)

The scheme is being funded by the governments of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, so prequalification was restricted to the following groups:

• Kuwaiti contractors
• Kuwaiti/Bahraini joint ventures
• Kuwaiti/foreign joint ventures or consortiums
• Saudi contractors
• Saudi/Bahraini joint ventures
• Saudi/foreign joint ventures or consortiums

The Tubli expansion project was originally scheduled to follow the example of the Muharraq wastewater treatment plant, currently being developed by a consortium led by South Korea’s Samsung Engineering, which has been procured using a public-private partnership (PPP) model. However, the Works Ministry has re-evaluated the Tubli plans and will now develop the scheme using a more traditional procurement method.

German firm P2mberlin is the consultant for the expansion scheme. P2mberlin, together with Germany’s Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and Dornier Consulting, has provided consulting services for the development of a sewerage masterplan for the whole kingdom of Bahrain.

Expansion of the Tubli plant has been a key priority for the Bahraini government for several years. Tubli is the largest wastewater treatment plant on the island and covers sewage treatment for Bahrain’s capital city, Manama.

The Works Ministry is also planning to invite companies to bid for the contract to build the Al-Madina al-Shamaliya STP by the end of the second quarter.

The Ministry received prequalification entries from 17 firms for the contract to build the STP and long sea outfall project.The first phase of the STP will have a capacity of 40,000 cm/d and is scheduled to be completed by 2017.

The bidding groups contain the following companies:

• Gulf Canadian Engineering Consultancy (UAE)
• Tecton (UAE)/WTE (Germany)
• Kharafi National Company (Kuwait)
• Six Construct (Belgium)
• Degremont (France)/Alghandi (UAE)/CCC (Athens-based)
• KMC (local)/Mace Contractors (UAE)/Hyundai Rotem (South Korea)
• SNC Lavalin International (local)
• Drake & Scull (UAE)/Aziz Contracting (Saudi Arabia)
• NBHH (UAE)/Batco (Lebanon)
• Metito (UAE)/Mushrif Trading & Contracting (Kuwait)
• Larsen & Toubro Saudi (India/Saudi Arabia)/Waterleau (Belgium)/Al-Moayyed Contractors (local)
• GP Zachariades (local)/Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies (VWS) (France)
• Belhasa Projects (UAE)/Wabag (local)
• Eagle Electromechanical Company (UAE)
• Bahrain Pipeline Company (local)/R Grobmann (Germany)/Neemtech (UAE)
• KCC Engineering and Contracting Company (KCCEC) (Kuwait)/Gulf Eco (UAE)
• CrownElectro - Mechanical Services (local)/Korea Engineering Consultants Corporation (KECC)

The project is being funded by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, and as a result, the prequalification was restricted to:

• UAE contractors
• UAE/Bahraini joint ventures
• UAE joint ventures
• Bahraini contractors
• Bahraini joint ventures