Contractors submit bids for Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi

28 April 2010

The Urban Planning Council is reshaping the capital

The Ministry of Presidential Affairs has received bids from contractors for the estimated AED2bn ($545m) main construction package on the Presidential Palace project in the Ras al-Akhdar area of Abu Dhabi Island.

At least seven groups have submitted prices for contract, according to sources involved in the bidding process. They are:

  • The local/UK Al-Futtaim Carillion (AFC)
  • The local/Australian Al-Habtoor Leighton Group, South Africa’s Murray & Roberts Contractors (Middle East) and the local Fibrex Construction Group
  • A joint venture of the local/Lebanese Arabian Construction Company (ACC) and the local Alec
  • A joint venture of Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) and the local Ghantoot Gulf Contracting (GCC)
  • Oger Abu Dhabi, the local affiliate of Saudi Oger
  • Saudi Binladin Group
  • The local/Belgian Six Construct Abu Dhabi with the local Arabtec Construction

The new palace will cover a total built-up area of about 220,000 square metres between the existing Presidential Palace and the Emirates Palace Hotel. The present palace is used by the federal government and hosts cabinet meetings and other federal government functions.

The Abu Dhabi Dutch Foundation has already started on the enabling works package for the new venue.

US-based RW Armstrong is the project manager, while the local Ewan Architectural & Engineering Consultancy is the appointed architect. The engineer is UK-based WSP Group and the cost consultant is Bahrain-based Haj Gulf (MEED 12:1:10).

Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning Council (UPC) is also developing the Capital City district on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi city, which includes the Federal Precinct, the new national seat of government for the UAE. Seven major road boulevards, symbolising the seven emirates, will lead into the precinct.

The UPC plans to build the 49-square-kilometre city close to Khalifa City, between Abu Dhabi International Airport and Mohammed bin Zayed City.

The development will include government and commercial office buildings, residential tower blocks and low-density neighbourhoods for UAE nationals.

When complete, about 370,000 people will live in the district, which will serve as a downtown area for the city of Abu Dhabi.

The contract to provide project management services on Capital City district was awarded to US-based Aecom in December last year (MEED 3:12:09).

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