Dubai Municipality has received bids for two major consultancy contracts for the planned deep-tunnel sewer networks in the Deira and Bur Dubai areas of the emirate.

The client received bids from six consultants for the supervision services contracts. According to sources close to the scheme, the US’ Parsons submitted the lowest price for the consultancy deals.

The full list of companies that submitted bids is:

• Parsons (US)
• Arcadis (Netherlands)
• Aecom (US)
• Dar al-Handasah (Lebanon)
• CH2M Hill (US)
• Italconsult (Italy)

Consultant contract 1: For the first contract, the municipality is seeking to appoint a consultant to provide supervision services for a 26-kilometre long tunnel in Deira.

Consultant contract 2: For the second contract, consultants are being sought to assist with the development of a 56km-long deep-tunnel sewer in Bur Dubai.

Dubai is following the lead of Abu Dhabi, which is close to completing the Strategic Tunnel Enhancement Programme (STEP). The main tunnelling works on the $1.6bn project were completed in 2014, and Abu Dhabi is hoping to have the system operational by the end of 2015.

The 41km deep-sewer tunnel runs from Abu Dhabi Island, at 24 metres below ground, south to the mainland, where it descends to 80 metres underground in places.

The main tunnelling works were let through three major deals. Two of these were constructed by consortiums led by Italy’s Impregilo, and the third was by a consortium headed by South Korea’s Samsung C&T.