The General Organisation of Sea Ports (GOP) held a briefing session for all potential bidders of the Khalifa Bin Salman Port (KBSP) service area project, to be built within the premises of the port. Chaired by Director General of the GOP, Hassan Ali Al Majed, the session addressed the areas of the Invitation to Tender Documentation which required clarification to ensure that all potential bidders received complete information on all technical, non-technical and financial aspects of the project.
The session was held as a follow-up to the invitation to potential developers for the construction and operations of the planned KBSP service area that will house a 4000 capacity car park facility for the import and export of cars, office space, warehousing facilities, and gas station. The construction of the new 41,817 square meter service area is scheduled to begin by first quarter of 2012 and the facility operations are expected to commence by first quarter of 2014.
Attended by the potential bidders, the session included a short presentation on the project setting out the aims of the tender process and expected bidding requirements. The session enabled bidders to clarify queries on the bidding documentation, evaluation criteria and pricing through a detailed question and answer session. Building a basis for greater partnership with organisations, the bidders were also given a detailed site visit of the port and the project location.
“As a premium project, the KBSP service area is a key component of GOP’s annual plan to further develop the Kingdom’s port community in accordance with international standards. Today’s briefing session is not only a powerful tool for moving the tender process of this strategic project forward but also aids clarity and transparency by ensuring that all bidders are familiarised with the projects scope and tender requirements. We aim to partner with leading and experienced firms that will help us create and offer an outstanding service based on catered solutions,” Hassan Ali Al Majed, Director General GOP, said.
Located on the land adjacent to the port entrance, the service area will also offer 6,500 meter square office space to accommodate approximately 105 offices in addition to retail and office space in the ground floor. The project plan including drawings, has been drawn up by international consultants and is ready for implementation. In keeping with the Kingdom’s increasing status as a transshipment hub for the region, KBSP’s bonded multi-storey car park facility and warehouse will address the growing demand for car storage space in the Kingdom.
The Khalifa Bin Salman Port, occupying a land area of 110 hectares of reclaimed land began operations in 2009 and is expected to soon become the premier trans-shipment hub for the Northern Gulf.