No short-listed cos want to do supervision consultancy

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FE Report Not a single short-listed company has shown interest in the Padma bridge supervision consultancy work as the deadline for fresh expression of interest (EoI) closed on July 31. The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA), the executing agency of the US $ 2.9 billion Padma bridge project, invited the EoI for construction supervision consultancy (CSC) afresh on June 24. Officials said though 10 firms came forward with their proposals for the CSC work on the last day of submission, they are not among the four companies earlier short-listed in the first EoI. They said most of the new firms are from India, Korea, China and the United States but refused to divulge to the FE the names of the firms. They submitted their proposals to the BBA which are to be scrutinised by an evaluation committee. "As there is nothing to declare which firm is the lowest in bidding, the BBA has to wait for opening of the EoI by the evaluation committee," said an official preferring not to be named. The BBA in August 2011 selected SNC Lavalin International Inc among the short-listed five companies. The selection, however, sparked severe criticism over allegation of bribing in the selection process globally, making the project's activities halted for more than a year. The World Bank, the project's earlier main financier, brought the allegation of graft in the selection process of the CSC that led the Canadian royal police to conduct investigation into the Canadian company. SNC Lavalin later withdrew its participation from the CSC work of the Padma bridge the same year. The BBA's evaluation committee had selected SNC Lavalin among other short-listed companies-UK-based High-Point Rendel, Tokyo-based Oriental Consultants Company Ltd, UK-based Halcrow Group Ltd and New Zealand-based AECOM New Zealand Ltd. The relations between the World Bank (WB) and the government soured over the graft allegation for over one-and-a-half years and the WB and other financiers suspended the project's $ 2.35 billion foreign aid commitment. The government later withdrew its request for funds from the WB. The project's activities were, however, revived after the government finally decided to construct the largest bridge from its own resources in February this year. The BBA officials said the fresh CSC work has been divided into three parts of which two approach roads and service areas will be implemented by the Bangladesh Army to lower the consultancy cost. The first EoI was invited for the CSC work for whole part of the Padma bridge work - main bridge construction, river training work, two approach roads and service areas whose cost was estimated at $50 million. The BBA officials said the fresh EoI is not clear about the cost of the part of the CSC work as the Bangladesh Army has demanded 60 per cent of the fund to complete their part of the work.