The revised bid deadline is 5 September. Bidding consortia will include a local partner plus an operator/technology supplier, which is likely to be foreign.

The project involves building a modern landfill unit to replace an existing facility, which is run by the municipality. A new composting plant, which will process organic waste, will also be built. The existing unit is a source of environmental health problems. The incinerator is to be used to dispose of hazardous waste from hospitals and other public and private operations.

The decision to privatise the landfill system follows the award earlier this year of an AED 300 million ($81 million), renewable five-year contract to operate the solid waste collection and disposal system for the municipality.

The contract, which is due to be signed in mid-June, was won by Onyx Gulf, a joint venture between Onyxof France and the Abu Dhabi-based Al-Jaber Transport & General Contracting Establishment.

The same joint venture is understood to be planning to bid for the landfill BOT contract.