Kuwait’s Central Tenders Committee (CTC) has approved the award of a KD17.3m ($60m) contract to the local Associated Construction Company (Asco) to build an office building and associated facilities for the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC).

The scope of works will include the three-story main office building and associated facilities in the northern part of Kuwait. The additional facilities include a separate cafeteria, clinic, mechanical building and substation. The work will also involve the construction of covered walkways and landscaping of the site and garden.

The project will have a total built up area of 23,000 square metres and will be developed on a total land area of 250,000 square metres. The project will take three years to complete.

CTC approval is the final step before a formal contract award is made. The Kuwait Oil Company is the client.

“The CTC has approved Asco’s bid and the contractor can expect to sign the contract in the next few weeks,” said a source involved with the project.

KOC is also currently tendering a contract to build the new hospital in the Ahmadi township, which is located about 40 kilometres south of Kuwait City.

The deadline to submit bids for the contract to build the new Ahmadi hospital and surrounding residential buildings is 28 September.

KOC originally tendered the contract in 2006, but has decided to retender the project, as the first bids were too high above budget.

The scope of the project includes the construction, operation and maintenance of the hospital and residential buildings, associated buildings and utilities. The project will have a total built-up area of 74,000 square metres.