Egypt plans to tender private wastewater scheme in fourth quarter

22 May 2012

Seven groups were prequalified for the Egypt wastewater project in March last year

Cairo is planning to issue the request for proposals (RFPs) for its public-private partnership (PPP) Abu Rawash Wastewater treatment plant in the fourth quarter of 2012

Speaking at MEED’s Arabian World Construction Summit (AWCS) on May 22, Bassel Shoirah, general manager for utilities and transport sector, PPP Central Unit at Egypt’s Finance Ministry, said the PPP unit was currently updating financial studies and is planning to tender the main contract in the fourth quarter of this year.

The PPP Central Unit produced a list of seven prequalified companies to bid to build the wastewater treatment plant in March 2011. The project has faced several delays due to political instability and changes to the design of the scheme.

The seven prequalifiers for the project are:

  • Orascom (local), Veolia (France), Aqualia Gestion (Spain) and Aqualia Infrastructure (Spain)
  • Mohamed Abdulmohsin al-Kharafi & Sons Company (Kuwait) and EMIT (Italy)
  • AAW (local), Degremont (France), Miahona (Saudi Arabia) and Arab Contractors (Egypt)
  • Acciona Agua (Spain), Icat (local), Samcrete (local), GS Engineering (South Korea) and K-Water (South Korea)
  • Samsung Engineering (South Korea), Macquarie (Australia) and Aktor (Greece)
  • Samsung C&T (South Korea), Cadagua (Spain) and Hassan Allam Group (Egypt)
  • Hochtief (Germany), Metito (UAE) and PWT (Germany)

The winning bidder will sign a 20-year PPP agreement for the design, financing and construction of a secondary treatment stage, sludge management facilities and cogeneration unit.

Power from the cogeneration unit will feed into the wastewater treatment project. The costs associated with adding power generation to the project is to be absorbed by the bidders in higher bid prices.

The tender is being run by Egypt’s Housing, Utilities and Urban Development Ministry represented by the Construction Authority for Potable Water and Wastewater with technical assistance from the PPP Central Unit of the Finance Ministry.

The UK’s Trowers & Hamlins and KPMG are the government’s legal and financial advisers respectively.

A MEED Subscription...

Subscribe or upgrade your current MEED.com package to support your strategic planning with the MENA region’s best source of business information. Proceed to our online shop below to find out more about the features in each package.