The local AH Alsagar & Brothers has submitted the low bid of KD114m ($407m) for the contract to build the Faculty of Arts and Education buildings at the new $3bn Sabah al-Salem University campus.

Alsager had prequalified as part of a joint venture with Malaysia’s Pembinaan, but has made a request to change partner to an Indian firm. This could result in its disqualification from the tender, according to sources involved with the bidding process.

The joint venture of local Combined Group Contracting Company and UAE’s Arabtec Construction submitted the second lowest price of KD120m. This was followed by the KD123m price submitted by the joint venture of the local Al-Hani Construction & Trading and South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction.

The work involves the construction of the faculty buildings and associated facilities, site improvements and landscape development. Both colleges will comprise five-storey academic buildings, faculty offices and administrative office buildings.

The two College of Arts buildings combined will cover approximately 54,000 square metres, and the two College of Education structures will cover a total area of 55,000 sq m.

The arts faculty will include a 500-seat auditorium, a multi-purpose hall and dining facilities. The College of Education will contain a 250-seat auditorium, learning resource centre and a dining facility.