State-run oil company Qatar Petroleum (QP) has received technical bids for the contract to build an office complex at Ras Laffan.

According to sources close to the project, the bidders include two local firms, Construction Development Company and Midmac General Contracting, along with Lebanon’s Man Enterprises and Austria’s Strabag.

QP will use the three office buildings as the centre for its operations at Ras Laffan, where most of Qatar’s oil and gas projects are based (MEED 3:9:09).

The client first tendered the project in late 2008 but then decided to retender it to try and take advantage of lower labour and materials prices.

Separately, QP has now extended the closing dates for bids on the first two construction contracts at its much larger headquarters complex at Lusail, close to Doha.

The closing date for bids on the car park construction contract has been extended to 14 February, while the closing date for the larger of the two contracts to build the office building structures has been delayed to 28 February.

The project consists of four office towers of nine to 15 floors, linked by a ground-level concourse.

Once completed, about 3,000 staff are expected to be based at the complex, north of the capital.

Further proposals for the site include a medical centre, corporate training facilities, data centres, multi-storey car parks, a sports stadium and associated infrastructure, all adjacent to the office towers, (MEED 3:9:09).

The US’ Skidmore Owings & Merrill is the architect and US-based Martha Schwartz Partners designed the landscaping.