{"id":3589,"date":"2017-11-08T07:04:21","date_gmt":"2017-11-08T12:04:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/projectcalls.com\/?p=3589"},"modified":"2017-11-07T15:18:38","modified_gmt":"2017-11-07T20:18:38","slug":"public-infrastructure-ministrys-tender-notice-for-demerara-bridge-is-intolerably-ambiguous","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/public-infrastructure-ministrys-tender-notice-for-demerara-bridge-is-intolerably-ambiguous\/","title":{"rendered":"Public Infrastructure Ministry\u2019s tender notice for Demerara bridge is intolerably ambiguous"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear Editor,<\/p>\n

The headline story of SN on September 28, 2017 that \u2018Restricted bidding for the new Demerara River bridge raises red flags\u2019 provides the opportunity to revisit the earlier prequalification tender notice by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) for the \u201cfinance, design, build and [maintenance]\u201d of the bridge. That tender invitation, based on its text and subsequent events, is intolerably ambiguous. In addition the \u2018restricted bidding\u2019 in your article is worthy of comment.<\/p>\n

As a side note: this writer wrote Stabroek News about a year ago stating that legislation was needed to regulate the private funding of public projects (\u2018Legislation is needed for public-private partnerships\u2019, Oct 1, 2016 ). In my view that legislation is still needed now and urgently so, as the Procurement Act, at least as presently existing, cannot properly encompass the regulation of private funding, or any other type of funding, for public projects where costs are recovered from user-citizens directly.<\/p>\n

To return to the tender invitation: this is careful to state that it is envisaged that the bridge will be completed by 2020. This is an admission, perhaps unintended, that the new bridge will be part of the election campaign by the current government. Relevant here is the recent article under \u2018Ian on Sunday\u2019: \u2018Thinking, already, about the next general election\u2019 (SN Sept 3, 2017) in which the writer highlights \u201cpeople worrying\u201d about the next general election in Guyana, and reasons that this is terrible for the nation. On the other hand, though clear on completion time, the tender invitation exhibits ambiguity on whether the bridge will be built by government loan, or private capital via investors and bankers.<\/p>\n

The invitation requests contractors to offer lump sum bids for design and construction of the bridge. The \u201ccomplete basic design\u201d will be provided by MPI as a reference. Conflictingly contractors are also requested, \u201cin order to improve the funding package\u2026\u201d to \u201c\u2026advance proposals for financing the project\u201d, all confirmed by later statements of MPI. No reference is made as to the availability of a prospectus or similar document, needed by a financier in these circumstances. Even if a prospectus is available, these two requests are incompatible with each other. The first is for the design and construction of the bridge, evidently to be funded by government loan. The bid can be based, correctly so, on the physical characteristics and environment of the location (\u201ccomplete basic design\u201d) and a bid can be accepted following a lump sum offer. However the second request (to \u201cadvance proposals for financing\u201d) requires private investors to be attracted to the construction if they perceive the bridge to be viable in giving a surplus on investment. Diverse interests need to be met: that of the government in gaining a quality bridge; the investor in obtaining an adequate financial return; and the investor\u2019s bank in gaining worthwhile loan interest and charges. In this case it is highly unlikely that a bid can be accepted after offer of a lump sum, since other essential criteria including \u2018value for money\u2019 and \u2018affordability\u2019 should need to be established and agreed, usually by negotiation, and the outcome is dependent on just how risks are allocated between the government and the private investor (with the investor\u2019s bank taking all possible steps to avoid risks).<\/p>\n

\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Image:\u00a0 Wikipedia\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear Editor, The headline story of SN on September 28, 2017 that \u2018Restricted bidding for the new Demerara River bridge raises red flags\u2019 provides the opportunity to revisit the earlier…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":3652,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[112],"tags":[116,159,113],"class_list":["post-3589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-newsdevelopments","tag-guyana","tag-notices","tag-tenders"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Demerara_Harbor_Bridge-Wikipedia.jpeg?fit=1280%2C960&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6u9Qa-VT","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4047,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/public-infrastructure-ministry-defends-sole-sourcing-of-demerara-bridge-feasibility-study-consultancy-says-ready-for-procurement-commission-probe\/","url_meta":{"origin":3589,"position":0},"title":"Public Infrastructure Ministry defends sole-sourcing of Demerara Bridge feasibility study consultancy; says ready for Procurement Commission probe","author":"Michele Marius","date":"January 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The Ministry of Public Infrastructure late Thursday night said it was forced to sole-source a Dutch consultancy company to conduct a feasibility study for the new Demerara River crossing after only one valid bid was submitted but exceeded the US$800,000 budget and concerns were raised about its technical level. Reacting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News\/Developments"","block_context":{"text":"News\/Developments","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/newsdevelopments\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Demerara_Harbor_Bridge-Wikipedia.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Demerara_Harbor_Bridge-Wikipedia.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Demerara_Harbor_Bridge-Wikipedia.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Demerara_Harbor_Bridge-Wikipedia.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Demerara_Harbor_Bridge-Wikipedia.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3587,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/proof-infrastructure-ministry-tampering-with-contracts\/","url_meta":{"origin":3589,"position":1},"title":"\u2018Proof\u2019 Infrastructure Ministry tampering with contracts","author":"Michele Marius","date":"November 8, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u2026has a track record and I am giving the evidence of it \u2013 Jagdeo The Public Infrastructure Ministry under the helm of Minister David Patterson, is accused of deliberately tampering with the procurement process in order to ensure contracts are handed out to favoured contractors. Former President Bharrat Jagdeo on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News\/Developments"","block_context":{"text":"News\/Developments","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/newsdevelopments\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Architecture-construction-works-David-McBee-Pexels-e1666942806480.jpeg?fit=1024%2C577&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Architecture-construction-works-David-McBee-Pexels-e1666942806480.jpeg?fit=1024%2C577&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Architecture-construction-works-David-McBee-Pexels-e1666942806480.jpeg?fit=1024%2C577&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Architecture-construction-works-David-McBee-Pexels-e1666942806480.jpeg?fit=1024%2C577&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":19642,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/govt-to-engage-chinese-firm-to-build-new-us256-6m-demerara-bridge\/","url_meta":{"origin":3589,"position":2},"title":"Gov\u2019t to engage Chinese firm to build new US$256.6M Demerara bridge","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"December 2, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Guyana Following the evaluation of tenders for the construction of the New Demerara Harbour Bridge, China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) has submitted the lowest responsive bid and pending successful negotiations with government, will be building the anticipated structure. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday announced that Cabinet had received and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20037,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/three-indian-firms-vying-for-ogle-to-eccles-four-lane-highway-project\/","url_meta":{"origin":3589,"position":3},"title":"Three Indian firms vying for Ogle to Eccles four-lane highway project","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"January 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Guyana \u00a0 Three Indian companies are vying to construct the much anticipated Ogle to Eccles four-lane highway, which is being funded by a line of credit from the Indian Exim Bank. The bids from the three companies, Afcons, Ashoka Construction Company, and Dineshchandra R. Agrawal Infracon Pvt. Ltd (DRAIPL), submitted\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/pexels-tranmautritam-448828-scaled-e1641392434423.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/pexels-tranmautritam-448828-scaled-e1641392434423.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/pexels-tranmautritam-448828-scaled-e1641392434423.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/pexels-tranmautritam-448828-scaled-e1641392434423.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7753,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/patterson-denies-edghills-accusation-of-unaccounted-gyd79-m-for-demerara-bridge-feasibility-study-accuses-ppp-of-executing-projects-without-studies\/","url_meta":{"origin":3589,"position":4},"title":"Patterson denies Edghill\u2019s accusation of unaccounted GYD$79 M for Demerara Bridge feasibility study; accuses PPP of executing projects without studies","author":"Michele Marius","date":"January 9, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson on Wednesday denied a claim by People\u2019s Progressive Party (PPP) frontbencher, Juan Edghill\u00a0 that GYD$79 million extra was disbursed for a Dutch feasibility study that has been mired in controversy. \u201cWhat you are saying there is absolutely untruth,\u201d Patterson told the House in rebutting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News\/Developments"","block_context":{"text":"News\/Developments","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/newsdevelopments\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Demerara_Harbor_Bridge-Wikipedia.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Demerara_Harbor_Bridge-Wikipedia.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Demerara_Harbor_Bridge-Wikipedia.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Demerara_Harbor_Bridge-Wikipedia.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Demerara_Harbor_Bridge-Wikipedia.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22663,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/contract-signed-two-year-deadline-for-us260m-demerara-river-bridge\/","url_meta":{"origin":3589,"position":5},"title":"Contract signed, two-year deadline for US$260M Demerara River bridge","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"June 16, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Guyana HAILED as the largest public infrastructure project undertaken in Guyana, the government, on Wednesday, signed a US$260 million contract for the construction of the new Demerara River Bridge at the Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD) site where the eastern end of the bridge will land. Deodat Indar, Minister\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4968573-scaled-e1655473594837.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4968573-scaled-e1655473594837.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4968573-scaled-e1655473594837.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4968573-scaled-e1655473594837.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3589"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3653,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3589\/revisions\/3653"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}