Prequalified contractors can now bid for new Demerara River crossing

More than a month after prequalifying, the nine international contractors will now be able to bid for the designing, building and financing of the new Demerara River Bridge.
This was first announced by President Dr Irfaan Ali during a press conference on Wednesday. He said that by the end of this week, the nine prequalified bidders would be invited to submit their tenders.
Then, on Thursday, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill announced that the bid documents for the “long-awaited and extremely necessary” new Demerara Harbour Bridge were launched at about 16:00h.
In a statement, the Minister said the nine prequalified contractors – some of whom have partnered to form joint ventures in order to carry out the project – were each sent a copy of the bid documents.
“This process requires that the bidders present proposals for a Design, Build and Finance (DBF) option, or a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Maintain (DBFOM) option. A pre-bid meeting will be held within the next few weeks, and bids will be closed on August 3, 2021,” the missive detailed.
The prequalified bidders are: China State Construction Eng Corp (China); Ballast Needam Infra Suriname BV (headquartered in The Netherlands); China Geizhouba Group Co Ltd (China); JV – China Railway International Group Co Ltd, China Railway Major Bridge Eng Group Co Ltd, Reconnaissance & Design Inst Co Ltd (China); JV – China Road & Bridge Corp Peutes y Calzadas Infrastructuras SLU (China and Spain); JV – OECI SA and Odebrecht Engenharia E Coonstrucao SA OEC (Brazil); JV – China Railway Construction Corporation (International) Ltd, China Railway Construction (Caribbean) Co Ltd, and China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co Ltd (China & Trinidad and Tobago); JV – Rizzani de Eccher S p A & Preconco Ltd (Italy and Barbados), and Boskalis Guyana Inc Eiffage Genie Civil (Guyana & Netherlands).
According to the Public Works Minister, a contract with the preferred bidder is expected to be entered into within the fourth quarter of this year. The bridge is expected to be completed in two years from the date of the commencement order.
This project, grounded in principles of transparency and accountability, saw 21 Expressions of Interest (EoIs) in the first round. Following their shortlisting, these prequalified bidders had benefited from an information session held on March 15, 2021, during which they were privy to the general requirements of the tender.
This new bridge across the Demerara River will be high-fixed span with a 50-metre flyover at minimum or “as high as, or higher than, the Marriott Hotel” to allow for marine vessels to pass without any interruption to vehicular traffic.
As such, the bridge would land aback Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara and at La Grange, West Bank Demerara, from where an alternative highway would be constructed all the way to Parika, East Bank Essequibo.
Meanwhile, an application for the project was filed at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), followed by an advertisement for a firm to complete the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).
The construction of the new bridge will be a timely one, as the East Bank is notorious for its heavy traffic congestions due to the current retractable bridge.
In addition to reduced travel time, Minister Edghill further outlined in Thursday’s missive that the impact of this project will also see greater economic activity, greater accessibility for new housing opportunities, expansion of the manufacturing sectors – which will be able to operate freely on the West side and not be limited to the Georgetown and East Bank Demerara areas, unhindered marine traffic, and swifter movement of cargo and the expansion of the Demerara Waterfront, since marine traffic will no longer be encumbered in any way whatsoever.
“This major transformational project is tied to key road networks to be developed on the East Bank and West Bank of the Demerara River. This project is a Manifesto promise of the PPP/C in the 2020 General and Regional Elections. Guyana is on the rise,” the Public Works Minister declared.
Floating at 1.25 miles, the current Demerara Harbour Bridge is a strategic link between the East and West Banks of Demerara, facilitating the daily movement of thousands of vehicles, people, and cargo.
The structure was built in the 1970s, but was opened in July 1978 with the expectation of lasting only 10 years. However, some 43 years later, it is still floating.
The former APNU/AFC Administration was originally going to build another retractable, three-lane bridge, but after immense criticism, had switched to a fixed, four-lane proposal.
However, the awarding of the $146 million contract to have a feasibility study done for the project was marred in controversy, with Auditor General Deodat Sharma pointing to major breaches of Guyana’s financial laws.
The Public Procurement Commission (PPC) had subsequently flagged former Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson for requesting from the then Cabinet that the feasibility contract be sole-sourced instead of being processed through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).
The PPC had found that after the bidding process was annulled because of non-responsive bidders, NPTAB had approved that the project to be re-tendered. But, instead, Dutch company LievenseCSO was handpicked by Patterson to conduct the study.
Additionally, it was revealed that funds from the Asphalt Plant which is managed by the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) were used to pay for the feasibility study.
As such, former Minister Patterson and former Head of the DHBC, Rawlston Adams, were charged in January this year for defrauding the Asphalt Plant of $162.6 million. They are currently out on bail as the matter engages the court. (G8)