There were only five bidders who submitted an offer for the construction of a sewage treatment plant in Xghajra.
China National Construction & Agricultural Import & Export, Costruzioni Dondi SPA, Consortium Strabag-Wabag from Austria, Degremont/CCC-CMR from France and Belgian company Keppel Seghers were the five companies.
The Water Services Corporation (WSC), through the Contracts Department, issued a call for tenders for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a 500,000-population sewage treatment plant at Xghajra Ta’ Barkat, limits of Zabbar.
The cost of the plant is estimated to be around Lm27 million (EUR62,355,658 million) – 70 per cent of which will be funded by the EU.
The capital expenditure as indicated in the tender document is Lm24.5 million (EUR56,581,986 million) (excluding VAT) – of which Lm21 million (EUR 48,498,845) is allocated for the design and construction of the plant and Lm3.5 million (EUR8,083,140 million) for operation and maintenance.
Sources said that a substantial number of interested parties purchased the tender documents – which cost Lm500 (EUR1,164) each – during the clarification meeting, which had a high attendance, held at the WSC offices.
It seems that, so far, Keppel Seghers is the only bidder who included various Maltese subcontractors in its offer: Ballut Blocks Ltd for civil works, Philip Agius & Sons Ltd for roadworks, Panta Contracting Ltd for mechanical and electrical works, and Architect Italo Raniolo for civil works design and landscaping According to the tender document, the criteria for award to be adopted are MEAT (most economical advantageous tender) with 70 per cent for technical quality and 30 per cent for price. The company with the highest percentage of marks will be awarded the contract.
It is intended that the contract will be awarded to the successful company before the end of the year. The work will start immediately after.
The plant will treat 70 per cent of Malta’s sewage water.
Another two small plants are currently being built at Ras Il-Hobz in Gozo and Ic-Cumnija near Anchor Bay in Malta.
With the three plants in operation, Malta will be in line with the EU Urban Wastewater Directive (91/271/EC) for sewage treatment prior to disposal in the sea.