The local Nasr Arabian Companyis low bidder at RO 7.2 million ($18.4 million) for the contract to construct the infrastructure for the planned Salalah free zone. Nasr's bid was 3.1 per cent below the next lowest offer, which came from Al-Hashimi & Al-Rawas Company, also local. Nine companies priced the contract, which covers site levelling, internal and external roads, and drainage and electricity networks at the site, which is next to Salalah port. The client is the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates. The stalled free zone project is back on the agenda after the appointment in June of a new general manager for the Salalah Free Zone Authority and a high-level commitment to implement the project, whether or not a private operator can be found (MEED 10:9:04).