Oman: 9 FIRMS IN RACE FOR MUSANDAM ROAD PMC CONTRACT

As many as nine local and international companies have submitted technical offers for project management consultancy (PMC) services to 'design, build and operate' section 2 of the Diba-Lima-Khasab road project, in Musandam.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications floated the tender in May this year when 20 companies evinced interest in the project. The tender was opened at the Tender Board on Monday, the last day for submitting technical offers.

Among the companies that have submitted bids are: International consulting firm Driver Trett's Oman subsidiary Driver Consult Oman LLC, Swiss engineering consulting firm Renardet Ingenieurs Conseils, Consulting Architects and Engineers LLC, National Engineering Office, British engineering and project management consulting WS Atkins, Watad Engineering Consultants, Malcolm Pirnie, Omani Engineering Consultancy Co and Corduff Oman Architecture.

The tender for pre-qualification was opened in August last year. According to information of the Tender Board website, 33 construction and engineering companies, mostly international, sought to pre-qualify for the project. The Diba-Lima-Khasab road project is a strategically important carriageway in the Musandam governorate that cuts through extremely rugged terrain.

The project comprises a 65km-long coastal road, between Al Khalidiya, in the wilayat of Khasab, and Diba, and passing through the village of Lima. Section 2 is an extension of the first stage, which is 21km long, and will start from the centre of Khasab to Al Khalidiya, where the course has been modified to include a number of tunnels and bridges with the aim of reducing curves and radiuses.

The Diba-Lima-Khasab road project will comprise seven tunnels to avoid high slopes and 18 bridges across valleys with a cross-section consisting of two lanes with asphalt shoulders of 2.5mn width on each side.

The project is considered one of the strategic linking roads that will stimulate trade and facilitate the flow of traffic between wilayats in Musandam and contribute to revitalising tourism in the governorate.