Saudi Arabia's Neom is preparing to award several early works and site preparatory packages for its critical water infrastructure network between The Line and Oxagon.

Contract awards for the site preparatory works at the Oxagon main storage reservoirs, High Point Reservoir Expansion and the Red Desert Reservoirs are expected during the first quarter of this year.

Oxagon storage

The request for proposal (RFP) for the Oxagon Main Storage Reservoirs site preparatory works packages one, two and three was issued in May last year. The scope of work covers site clearing, earth moving, excavation, rock breaking, disposal, hauling and stockpiling and establishing roads over a total area of 804,500 square metres.

Package one includes the early works for reservoirs A5, A4, B5, B4, and C4, pipe culverts and the chlorination building area.

Package two covers the works for reservoirs A2, A3, B2, B3 and C3 and pipe culverts.

Package three covers the site preparatory works for reservoirs A1, B1, C1 and C2 and pipe culverts.

The construction period is seven months from the start date of construction.

High Point

The RFP for the early works packages one and two of the High Point Reservoir expansion was issued on 9 October. The bid submission closing date was 10 December.

The scope of work includes the execution of early works over a total area of 1,458,000 square metres covering 15 reservoirs.

The contract duration is six months from the construction start date.

Red Desert

The RFP for packages one and two of the site preparatory works covering an area of 1,000,000 square metres at Red Desert Reservoirs was issued in November. The bid submission deadline was 10 December.

The scope of work under package one includes the early works for six reservoirs, pipe culverts, ancillary buildings, building area and construction of an access road.

Package two covers the early works of four reservoirs, a future area, two swale zones and pipe culverts.

The construction period is four months from the start date of construction.

US-based Bechtel Corporation is the project management consultant.

These projects form a vital component of what is referred to as the Neom regional transmission strategy for 2045.

The strategy aims to develop a water network to supply potable water across the Neom region and accommodate the anticipated water demand for nine million residents.

According to data from regional projects tracker MEED Projects, Neom and its subsidiary Enowa awarded over $900m worth of water utility contracts in the first 11 months of 2023.