The other participants in the tender are Fichtner, ILF Consulting Engineersand Lahmeyer International- all of Germany, and Al-Bawardi Consulting Engineersand Saleh Abalkhail Consultants- both local.

The international consultants were required to bid in partnership with local consultancy firms, which will be in charge of the project's pipeline portion. The foreign partner will be responsible for the desalination plants.

The five desalination plants will have capacities ranging between 3,000-22,500 cubic metres a day (cm/d) and will not entail any power generating element. The plants will be located in or near the towns of Al-Wajh, Rabigh, Al-Qunfudah and Al-Laith. Depending on the outcome of a feasibility study, a fifth project may be undertaken, covering the expansion of an existing desalination plant located on the southwestern island of Farasan by 3,000 cm/d.

The plants are expected to be based on reverse osmosis technology. The project also covers the installation of about 200 kilometres of pipeline required for the water distribution.