Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has invited companies to submit bids for the contract to operate and maintain pumping stations throughout the country.

Companies have until 18 February 2014 to submit bids for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of all of Ashghal’s existing pumping stations in Qatar. The appointed firm will also provide O&M services for any new pumping stations added to the authority’s network during the contract period, and will be responsible for providing all of the required equipment and labour to service and maintain pumping stations and associated infrastructure.

Qatar is planning to invest heavily in expanding and upgrading its water and sewage systems in the next decade as it undertakes its World Cup 2022 infrastructure programme.

In addition to Ashghal’s ambitious sewage network programme, the Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) is undertaking a major programme to boost the country’s water transmission infrastructure. In November, Kahramaa invited contractors to submit bids for the project to build water transmission pipelines for the proposed Facility D independent water and power project (IWPP) at Qatar Economic Zone (QEZ).

The project will involve design, supply and installation of water transmission pipelines and associated fibre optic cables. The pipelines will include 69.5 kilometres (km) of 1,600mm diameter pipes, 35 metres of 1,400mm diameter pipes and 1.2km of 1,200mm pipelines. The work will also include branch connections from the QEZ plant.

The proposed Facility D IWPP will have a power generation capacity of 2,400MW and a desalination component of 130 million gallons a day. Kahramaa is currently preparing to issue the request for proposal (RFP) for the IWPP, and is scheduled to award the contract next year. The scheme is estimated to be worth up to $3bn and will be the first new IWPP in Qatar since 2008.