(Thursday, December 21/2000)--It will be at least the end of February before the evaluation team examining bids from two private sector consortia vying for the $315 million project will be able to make its recommendation to Halifax Regional Council, Mayor Peter Kelly announced today.
Mayor Kelly said that both he, and the Council Advisory Committee, have been advised by Project Manager Maurice Lloyd, that the Harbour Solutions Project Evaluation Team has agreed to give each of the two proponents more time to refine their bids for the $315 million project. Each had some deficiencies in their proposal.
The Mayor said the Evaluation Team, comprised of HRM staff and private sector consultants, examined the bids as part of the Completeness-Mandatory Requirements section in the evaluation process and agreed that both needed some "fine tuning" before proceeding to next step for Technical Compliance.
The Evaluation Team hoped to bring forward its recommendation to Regional Council by the end of January, as to which one of the two proponents HRM should enter into negotiations with for a contract to design, build and operate a four-plant, sewage treatment system for Halifax Harbour. Regional Council has also had HRM prepare its own Reference Bid or Shadow Bid ( as if the municipality were to undertake the project itself) as a comparator to the successful private sector bid. Cost proposals submitted by the consortia, as well as the Reference Bid, will be opened at a later stage of the process after the overall evaluation of the technology is complete.
Mayor Kelly said " This is the largest public works project ever undertaken by this municipality, so it is important that we get it right. A delay in the time line for this project is insignificant, if it means giving the Evaluation Committee the time it needs to go through these bids with a fine-tooth comb and bring forth its recommendation to Council. That would be in the best interest of the taxpayer."
The request for proposals (RFP) for the Harbour Solutions Project closed on October 14th.
Two consortia, comprised of a number of international, national, and local companies, are bidding on the project.
-- 30 -
Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010
Maurice Lloyd, P.Eng
Project Manager, (902) 490-4549
