5 groups seek bids for P24.4-B Bulacan bulk water supply project

MANILA, Philippines - At least five consortiums yesterday applied to prequalify to bid for the P24.4-billion Bulacan Bulk Water supply project rolled out by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) under the government’s Public-Private Partnership program.

MWSS administrator Gerry Esquivel identified the consortiums that submitted prequalification documents at the MWSS corporate office as: First Philippine Holdings and Abeima; Filinvest Development Corp. and Aqua; San Miguel Corp. and Korea Water Resources; Manila Water and Team Polaris; and Prime Water Infrastructure Corp. and Alloy Water.

Esquivel said the consortiums qualified for the actual project bidding would be known in 10 to 15 days, after which they would be invited to submit bids.

The Bulacan bulk water project aims to address the water supply requirements of 22 municipalities in the province of Bulacan while minimizing ground water extraction which has adverse impact to the environment.

The project intends to supply treated bulk water to water districts in the province through the construction, operation and maintenance of facilities for treatment and conveyance of treated water.

The contract for the project would be awarded through a competitive public bidding using performance or output-based approach in accordance to the revised build-operate-and-transfer law.

The project would be executed with the MWSS under a 30-year build-operate-transfer contract.

The MWWS is also inviting to apply for prequalification parties interested to design, finance and construct the dam and raw water conveyance structure for the New Centenial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project (NCWS-KDP).

The projects is meant to increase raw water supply in Metro Manila to meet demand for potable water in the future and to reduce dependence on the Angat Dam reservoir.

Interested parties may procure prequalification documents until Nov. 3 from the Prequalification, Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat Office at the MWSS corporate office in Quezon City.

Prequalification applicants should file their applications not later than 12 noon of Nov. 17.