Antigua and Barbuda
The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has instructed project technicians to focus on getting local contractors to merge in order to strengthen their chances of bidding successfully on the upcoming The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus (The UWIFIC) expansion project.
The directive, which was revealed during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, underscores the government’s intent to ensure local firms benefit directly from major national infrastructure projects.
Director General for Communications Maurice Merchant told reporters that Cabinet was updated by project technicians, consultants, and management teams on progress with both the The UWI expansion and the construction of the Five Islands Primary School. The technical team highlighted that design amendments were made to structural and foundation plans following the completion of a geotechnical study, ensuring the new buildings meet appropriate engineering and safety standards.
With approval from the Ministry of Education, the contractor has also been granted permission to explore more cost-effective structural solutions. One option currently under review by the Board of Education is a steel-frame design, which could reduce costs while maintaining safety and durability.
The project is now moving toward the procurement phase. Merchant confirmed that the Request for Proposals (RFP) documents for contractors have been reviewed and returned for corrections and updates. Once finalized and approved by the relevant financing and oversight authorities, the project will be issued for both local and international tender. The tender process is expected to begin in early March.
However, Cabinet placed particular emphasis on ensuring local contractors are not sidelined during bidding. Due to the size and complexity of The UWI expansion, the process will prioritize contractors with proven experience delivering projects of similar magnitude. Historically, such requirements have favored larger international firms.
To address this, Cabinet directed technicians to actively encourage local firms to form partnerships or merge. By pooling resources, expertise, and financial capacity, local contractors can meet the technical requirements and submit competitive bids.
“Cabinet was very specific in this area of the tendering process and asked the technicians to focus their attention on getting local contractors to merge to ensure that they have a greater opportunity to bid for this project,” Merchant emphasized.
The UWIFIC has steadily expanded its student enrollment and academic offerings over the years. The upcoming expansion represents a major investment in the nation’s higher education infrastructure and long-term human capital development. Cabinet’s directive is intended to ensure that the construction phase also helps build the capacity of local industry and provides economic benefits to Antiguan and Barbudan firms.
With the tender process expected to open within weeks, local contractors now have a limited window to organize themselves into merged entities or consortiums ahead of bidding. Success could not only secure immediate contracts and jobs but also position local firms to take on similar large-scale projects in the future.
Cabinet’s proactive approach signals that the government is committed to shaping procurement processes in ways that retain economic benefits within the country, rather than leaving major projects solely to international firms.
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