Prequalification due for College of Technology project

16 November 2002

International contractors are due to submit prequalifications by 18 November for the main works package on the College of Technology project, part of the Education City. To be built southwest of Qatar University, the College of Technology will provide technical education to students from August 2004. It is being established by the government, the Canadian Bureau of International Education and the College of the North Atlantic.

The main works package, known as package 2, calls for the construction of engineering, administration and business management buildings, an information/IT auditorium and a cafeteria. The total floor area of the buildings is 63,000 square metres. The successful bidder will also install utilities, a central plant and parking facilities, as well as carry out landscaping.

The tender is expected to be issued in mid-December with an award due two months later. A third package, covering furniture, fixtures and equipment, is due to be tendered at a later date.

Qatar Building Engineering Company (QBEC) is carrying out package 1, which involves the grading and preparation of the 300,000-square-metre site and the construction of a first engineering building. The package is due to be completed in August 2003. The programme and construction manager for the College of Technology is KEO International Consultants of Kuwait.

The college is further evidence of the substantial investments being made in higher education in Qatar. So far this year, contracts totalling over $200 million have been let on the Education City project. The most recent, worth an estimated $70 million, was awarded in the summer to the US/local joint venture of Contrack International and Darwish Engineering. Covering the infrastructure works, the contract will take 18 months.

The infrastructure package is the second won by the Contrack/Darwish venture on Education City, having been awarded in April an estimated $71 million contract to build the Cornell Medical facilities. A local group of Midmac Contracting and Contraco is working on a third package, the estimated $75 million-80 million contract for the bridge arts and sciences college.

Qatar Petroleum is handling the Education City project on behalf of the client, the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science & Community Development. The project and construction manager is KEO.

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