Tender Board Reviews Bids for Key Projects in Telecom, Energy, and Housing Sectors

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

Bids for seven tenders from various entities and government bodies were opened by the Tender Board on Monday.

The first reveal came in the form of four bids for medical insurance services aimed at covering 290 employees of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and their families for a year. Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company stood out, offering two options—one priced at BHD 146,925.900 and another at BHD 163,251.000—while Arabia Insurance Company came in higher at BHD 255,779.700.

Shifting gears, Masar Group is on the lookout for a second-hand shallow-draft flat-deck steel barge and a tugboat to help move general cargo from Al Dur Port. AL Hassanain B.S.C. was the sole bidder, proposing BHD 396,000.000 for the lot.

In the electricity sector, the Central Stores Directorate - Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) attracted three bids for fuselinks, both HRC and wedge types. Ameeri Stores led with the lowest offer at BHD 28,160.000, while Al Bakali General Trading placed the highest at BHD 32,065.000.

Meanwhile, the EWA is also seeking a contractor for a two-year deal to maintain and inspect high-voltage power transformers and reactors in the electricity transmission network. This contract covers routine, corrective, and emergency work. Four bids were submitted, with the lowest at BHD 440,565.886 from Galaxy Energy Contracting, while Gulf Innovations submitted the highest at BHD 2,600,055.216.

The EWA also requested bids for leak detection equipment, specifying high accuracy in detecting and pinpointing leaks. Three bids were received, with Al Bakali General Trading submitting the lowest at BHD 98,905.400, and Everon Trading and Services offering the highest at BHD 188,057.529.

Technical bids were also opened for Bapco Refining’s plan to build a new headquarters near its refinery. This building is to house the chairman, CEO, and management teams, along with non-technical departments. Features will include advanced conference rooms, a theatre, a boardroom, a visitors’ gallery, and a canteen. The design focuses on being cost-effective, energy-efficient, and environmentally sound. Bids for the project were submitted by MZ Architects, Dar SSH International Engineering Consultants, and Skidmore Owings & Merrill.

Lastly, The Board opened technical bids for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning seeking an engineering consultant to oversee the construction of Phase 3 of the East Sitra Social Housing Project. This phase includes 531 housing units alongside the necessary infrastructure. Twelve bids were submitted, with entries from several established firms in the industry.

All tenders are, as usual, subject to both technical and financial evaluations. While price plays a role, the lowest bid won’t automatically win if it doesn’t meet other essential criteria.