Panama City: In a move that it says will result in better bids for the "design-build" contract for the new locks under the Panama Canal's Expansion Program, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has deferred the locks proposal due date. The four global consortia in the running for the contract will now have until December 10 to submit their bids for what will be the largest and most important project under the $5.25 billion expansion.
A teaming of Asian and US companies is one of four contenders. Led by Bechtel of the US, the so-called Bechtel Taisei Mitsubishi (BTM) teaming also comprises Japanese corporations Taisei and Mitsubishi, as well as subcontractor Wuchang Shipyard of China to manufacture the lock gates. Rival bidders include he CANAL consortium, led by ACS Serviciosof Spain; the Atlantic-Pacific Consortium of Panama, led by Bouygues Construction of France; and the United Group for the Canal, led by Sacyr Vallehermoso of Spain.
The ACP say it received requests from the consortia to extend the proposal due date and has listened to their needs. Additional time given to the consortia will result in more fully developed bids on both the technical and price proposals, ultimately benefitting the expansion project.
"The extension falls within our Expansion Program execution timeline, which has a projected completion date of 2014," said ACP Executive Vice President of Engineering and Program Management Jorge L. Quijano. [04/07/08]
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