The local Kharafi National has submitted a low bid of KD36.9m ($122.6m) for the contract to build a central utilities plant at Sabah al-Salem University in Kuwait.

The low bid is less than 1 per cent lower than the price of KD37.2m submitted by the local/Egyptian Kuwait Arab Contractors Company. The other bidders are the local office of Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company at KD37.3m and the local Hani Construction Company at KD38.5m.

Kharafi National is already working on the university project. Last year, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education awarded a joint venture of Beijing-based China State Construction Engineering Corporation and Kharafi National a KD140m ($458m) contract for building work.

That three-year deal involves the construction of 13 academic support buildings with a total built-up area of 213,000 square metres.