New Demerara River Bridge construction to start year end

The Ministry of Public Works on Friday announced that construction of the Demerara River Bridge will commence in the last quarter of 2021, as it announced that nine companies were pre-qualified in the quest to design, build, and finance the crossing.

The Ministry in a statement said an information session was held on Monday last with the pre-qualified bidders during which the general requirements expected in the upcoming tender was communicated to them.

Frist, bidders will be expected to submit bids in 3 months following receipt of bid documents, such that a Preferred Bidder will be selected, and the construction of the project commenced in the last quarter of this year. The project is slated for completion within two years.

Bidders will be required to bid on two options: First, a Design-Build & Finance option, and Second, a Design-Build-Operate & Finance Option.

The Pre-qualification of bidders followed the Government advertisement last September inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) and Pre-Qualifications after which 54 firms expressed interest. Forty-four Firms completed the registration process and were provided with the EOI/Pre-Qualification documents but only 21 firms submitted to the EOI/Pre-Qualification on the closing deadline of December 4^th.

The Government said it is pleased with the level of interest by globally competitive companies and wish to thank all companies that sought to be pre-qualified noting that the pre-qualification was a highly competitive process, resulting in detailed EOI/Pre-Qualification submissions of a high quality. Despite the limited number pre-qualified, the Government encourages all of the companies to continue to pursue the many opportunities in Guyana, as many of these companies are world-class.

The firms pre-qualified are:

1. China State Construction Eng. Corp (China)
2. Ballast Needam Infra Suriname B.V.
3. China Geizhouba Group Co. Ltd (China)
4. JV-China Railway International Group Co. Ltd, China Railway Major Bridge Eng. Group Co. Ltd, Reconnaisance & Design Inst. Co. Ltd (China)
5. JV-China Road & Bridge Corp. Peutes y Calzadas Infrastructuras SLU (China and Spain)
6. JV-OECI S.A. and Odebrecht Engenharia E. Coonstrucao S. A. OEC
7. JV-China Railway Construction Corporation (International) Ltd., China Railway Construction (Caribbean a) Co. Ltd, and China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co. Ltd (China & Trinidad and Tobago)
8. Boskalis Guyana Inc Eiffage Genie Civil (Guyana & Netherlands)
9. JV-Rizzani de Eccher S. p. A & Preconco Ltd (Italy and Barbados)

The Ministry in December last had begun an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the construction of a new bridge across the Demerara River as the current floating bridge continues to deteriorate.

This four-lane, high-span fixed bridge will not require opening or retraction to allow for maritime traffic.