Contractors are waiting for Abu Dhabi General Services Company (Musanada) to award the two main construction contracts for the crossing that will connect Al-Reem Island, Umlifaina Island and the rest of Abu Dhabi.

For the first package, China Harbour Engineering Corporation has submitted the lowest compliant bid, with a price of AED413m, which is about 1.5 per cent lower than the second-lowest offer of AED419m submitted by the local Trojan/National Projects Company (NPC).

Alternative offers have also been submitted by some bidders. Trojan/NPC has submitted the lowest price, with an offer of AED395m, which is about AED3m lower than the alternative of AED398m submitted by China Harbour Engineering Company.

For the second package, the low bidder for the design-and-build deal is Italy’s Salini, with a price of AED754m ($205m), which is about 25 per cent lower than the offer of AED1.01bn submitted by the local/Australian Habtoor Leighton Group. The local Trojan was the third-lowest bidder, with a price of AED1.17bn.

The Umlifaina crossing scheme involves building a series of structures between the two islands and the larger Abu Dhabi Island.

The consultant is the local office of Australia-based Aurecon Group.

The project has been tendered before. In 2010, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport (DoT) received bids from 14 contractors. The tender was cancelled in December 2011 and bid bonds were returned to the bidders.

Umlifaina Island is located near Reem Island and Saadiyat Island. The bridges will open up Umlifaina Island for real estate development. In 2008 and 2009, local developer Tasameem Real Estate prepared plans for the island that include residential, leisure, hotel and commercial buildings. Other parts of the 5-square-kilometre masterplan include a water park, a shopping mall and other tourist attractions.