Oman’s  Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) has invited firms to bid by 3 June for the contract to design and build an asphalt road linking Al-Wajajah and Al-Fai in the sultanate's adjoining North al-Batinah and Al-Buraimi governorates.

The planned road will extend 9 kilometres, while the link road to Timit village will be 3.5km long.

The scope of works includes the selection of corridor alignments, preliminary and detailed design, study of drainage structures, and road construction.

Companies planning to bid for the contract include:

• Strabag Oman (Austria/local)
• Abuhatim Company (local)
• Galfar Engineering and Contracting (local)
• Premier International Projects (local)
• Federici Stirling Batco (local)

The ministry is expected to award the contract for section 7 of the 11-package $2.7bn Batinah Expressway project soon.

The bidders and prices are:

• Ghantoot Transport & General Contracting (UAE): $205m
• Strabag Oman (Austria): $256m
• Galfar Engineering and Contracting: $306m

The package, which includes section 7 of the expressway, entails the construction of two link roads (4 and 4A), and the design and construction of interchanges, culverts and other associated facilities.