The local NSCC has been awarded the foundations package on the UAE University expansion project in Al-Ain. The other bidders were Germany's Bauer, Swissboring, part of Italy's Trevi Group, and the local Middle East Foundations (MEED 9:6:06).

Bids are due by the end of August for the main construction package. The prequalifiers include: Al-Habtoor Engineering Enterprises and Arabtec Construction, both local, the local/Lebanese Arabian Construction Company, Athens-based Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCC) and Saudi Oger. The package covers phases 1-3 and involves the construction of the majority of the buildings. The 290,000-square-metre campus will accommodate 19,000 students and include educational buildings, recreational and sports facilities and student residential accommodation (MEED 2:6:06).

Australia's Cox Group is the design consultant and Bovis Lend Lease, also of Australia, is the project manager. The client for the buildings package and the remainder of the building works is Al-Hikma Development Company, which was established by Abu Dhabi government-owned Mubadala Development Company to develop and operate the university under a 28-year build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) agreement.

Al-Ain Municipality, which is developing the infrastructure, has also received bids from five local companies for the retendered roads package. The bidders priced two options. The first covers the construction of roads and a connecting bridge, and the second involves the road works only. Al-Salmeen is the low bidder. The other bidders are Bin Harmal Contracting & Irrigation Establishment,

Al-Fahjan General Contracting Establishment, Al-Geemi & Partners and Saif bin Darwish.