The government of the Republic of Kenya, through the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA), has re-advertised the tender for the construction of the over US$ 231M Soin-Koru multipurpose dam after previous bidders failed to meet the minimum requirements.
According to a source at the government agency, most of them failed to submit relevant documents to back up their bid, while the few who met the threshold quoted a price which is far much above what the government has allocated for the implementation of the mega project.
Prerequisites for the new tender
According to the new tender notice placed by Ms. Sharon Obonyo, the acting Chief Executive Officer for the NWHSA, tenders for the Soin-Koru multipurpose dam must be accompanied by a tender security of approximately US$ 1.9M from a reputable bank approved by the Central Bank of Kenya.
Foreign bidders participating in the tender shall be required to provide written commitment on company letterhead signed by a person with power of Attorney that if successfully awarded, they shall source at least 40% of their supplies from Kenyan citizen suppliers prior to submitting their bids.
Ms. Obonyo also cautioned that those who will quote above the budget estimate will immediately be declared non-responsive.
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Bidders have exactly one month from the date of advertisement which is 18th August 2020, to make their submission. Bids will be opened on September 18, 2020, at 9.30 am in the presence of the candidates or their representatives who choose to attend at the NWHSA amphitheater.
Importance of the project
The Soin-Koru multipurpose dam project is expected to provide 102 000 m3/day of water to a population of 1.71 million and to end water shortages in the neighboring counties of Kericho, Nandi, and Kisumu.
It will also act as a sediment trap, reducing sediment build-up downstream, which is the main cause of flooding and ensure regulation of the river flow, thus providing water for irrigation all year round. The reservoir will also offer opportunities in fishing and water-based tourism activities.
Source: Construction Review Online
