Astad, the project management arm of Qatar Petroleum, has extended the bid deadline by a month for the contract to build an estimated QR1bn ($274) car park at Education City, a 14-square-kilometre development on the western edge of Doha.

Contractors now have until the 12 March to submit bids for the contract to build the four-storey above-ground South-East Car Park at Education City. The previous submission date was 12 February.

The South-East Car Park scheme is the third major car parking project Astad has tendered in the past 16 months at the Education City development.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, Astad awarded Greece’s Terna an estimated QR500m ($151m) contract to build the North-East Car Park. That project will have two underground levels, covering a total area of about 94,000 square metres.

In May 2011, at least seven contractors bid for the main construction package on the estimated $225m West Car Park, which will comprise four storeys above ground.

Contractors are still waiting for a contract award on the West car park, according to sources in Doha.

Astad is managing the planned projects at Education City on behalf of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.