The Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) is still awaiting final government approval before it could award the contract for the state’s first schools public-private partnership (PPP) project to the preferred bidder.

MEED understands the evaluation of both technical and financial bids has been completed earlier this year.

According to a source familiar with the transaction, KAPP has forwarded the contract for approval to the Higher Committee. Once the Higher Committee approval is obtained, a final approval will have to be sought from the State Audit Bureau.

“The approval could take days or months, it’s really up to them [government] to decide,” the source tells MEED.

KAPP opened financial bids for its schools development programme in November last year.

The bidding consortiums are:

• CCC Consortium: Consolidated Contractors Group (Athens-based) / Privatization Holding Company (local) / National Industries Group Holding (local) / The Morganti Group (US)
• Alargan Consortium: Alargan International Real Estate Co (local) / KSCP (Germany) / Alargan Real Estate Project Management / Alargan Gulf Real Estate Service Company / Index Trading & Contracting Company for Precast & GRC / Mohammed Abdulkhuder Ibrahim Consultant (local)

The project involves the design, build, financing, operation and transfer of nine schools. This includes five kindergartens, three elementary schools, a middle school, and an Olympic-sized, 10-lane swimming pool. The new schools will have a combined capacity of 4,350 students.

They will be located in Alasimah (Kuwait City), Alahmadi, Hawalli, and Mubarak Alkabeer on state-owned properties.

The schools development projects is the first public-private partnership (PPP) project under the 2014 law in Kuwait to reach the stage of opening commercial bids.

In August, Kuwait cancelled the tender for the planned Al-Zour North 2 independent water and power project (IWPP), some 14 months after bids were submitted.

It is understood KAPP is now planning to integrate the previously planned Al-Zour North 2 and 3 IWPPs into one project, which will be retendered as one project.