The Cabinet Purchase Committee is set to consider on Thursday the approval of the biggest ever tender proposal for the construction of Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project at a cost of Tk 12,133 crore.
The Communications Ministry has put forward the proposal of the China Major Bridge Engineering Co. Ltd to the Cabinet Division for placing it in Thursday’s meeting.The Chinese company has been the lone bidder in the main construction work of the 6.15-KM bridge. The tender evaluation committee, headed by vice chancellor of University of Asia Pacific Dr. Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, recommended the Chinese company’s proposal as “the lowest evaluated substantially responsive Bid” to award it the huge contract.
The Communications Ministry described the long tender process, but did not mention anything about last year’s loan cancellation by the World Bank and other donors for the project on allegation of corruption conspiracy by former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain.
The World Bank withdrew its loan proposal of $ 1.2 billion, promoting a pull out by other donors such as the Asian Development Bank.
Earlier, the government awarded contracts for construction of two approach roads on both ends of the bridge to two companies. They have started their work.
The government has made an allocation of Tk 8100 crore for Padma Bridge project in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the upcoming fiscal 2014-15.
The Bridge Division under the Communications Ministry invited pre-qualification tender for the project in October 2010 and three companies were short listed by for final tender process.
The companies were 1.) China Major Bridge Engineering Co., 2.) Daelim-L & T Joint Venture, and 3.) Samsung C & T Corporation.
All the three companies submitted their first stage technical proposals and came out to be technically responsive bidders for the project.
But when they were asked to submit their second stage financial offers by April 24, 2014, the Daelim and the Samsung requested for extension of the bid submission date.
The government rejected their request.
The Padma Bridge project’s detailed design consultant Maunsell-AECOM also recommended the Chinese company.
According to the Communication Ministry’s brief the China Major Bridge Engineering’s offer is 12.62 percent lower than the government’s estimated cost (Tk 13,885 crore).
Of the Chinese company’s quoted price of about Tk 12,133 crore, the government will pay 25.60 percent in local currency and 74.40 percent in foreign currency to the contractor.
As per terms and condition of the contract, the contractor will have to complete the bridge construction work within 1460 days (4 years) from the signing of the contract. – UNB
