The contract for the Integrated Utilities Business System Strategic Partnership for Enemalta and the Water Services Corporation has drawn big names from across Europe, including Siemens, IBM, Tata Consultancy and Accenture.

The partnership contract will provide for new control systems and a state-of-the-art billing process including a new water and electricity metering system for Malta’s households and businesses.

While the actual contract is multifaceted and envisages a complex requirement on the part of the bidding companies, the strategic partnership will see the winning company operating certain parts of the utility-providers’ businesses, mostly back office and billing operations, as well as supplying equipment.

A total of eight potential partners have submitted bids for the contract, which is expected to carry a hefty price tag: Accenture SpA, IBM Global Services SA, LogicaCMG, Siemens SpA, Tata Consultancy Services, Atos Origin, Soluziona, and Televent Energia y Medio Ambient.

It is expected that new developments in metering technology will be implemented across Malta – eliminating the need for visits by meter readers. Such a system would, for example, use a combination of power line carrier and radio technology to provide for two-way communications between utility headquarters and the water and electricity meters themselves.

The new system will allow Enemalta and the WSC to crack down on theft and leakages, which amount to over 17 per cent of all water and electricity generated.

The contract, which will run for an initial period of five years, is currently in the RSP stage of the awarding process in which short-listed bidders have been asked to present detailed proposals by the beginning of April.