At least five firms have so far bid for the construction package. They include Saudi Binladin Group, Saudi Oger, the local Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting Company (RTCC) and Athens-based Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCC).

The contract covers the construction of up to 12 buildings on a 1 million square metre site in Riyadh.

A decision on the contract is expected in August or September. Construction is expected to take three years. The client is King Saud University.

It is the latest in a series of university tenders in the kingdom. Bids were recently submitted for a university building at Taibah University, near Medina. The contract is worth SR450m and an award is expected in July (MEED 3:6:08).