Oman’s Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) has awarded a contract to the UK’s Halcrow to act as the independent auditor overseeing private sector management of the sultanate’s water sector.

Halcrow Group submitted a bid of OR328,000 ($852,000). Australia’s Cardno International submitted a bid of OR399,000, while the UK’s Atkins was eligible to bid, but declined.

The contract is part of Oman’s plans for privatisation in its water sector. In October 2010, PAEW awarded a OR19.1m contract to France’s Veolia to provide management services for the sultanate’s water sector (MEED 4:10:10).