Tenders being sought for Berbice Bridge feasibility study
Stabroek News
August 12, 2002
The government is inviting bids for an evaluation of the proposed Berbice River Bridge and access roads to determine their economic and financial viability.
In an advertisement appearing in last week’s newspapers, the government says a particular focus of the study is to ensure that all the economic and developmental costs and benefits of the proposed project are fully considered and evaluated.
The government recently reached agreement with the Berbice River Bridge Consortium (BRBC) on development pacts to take the process forward. What is to be done now is the evaluation of the economics of the bridge including the traffic study, the geotechnical, hydrographic, cadastral and engineering surveys and the environmental impact assessment.
It is anticipated that these can be done simultaneously. However, because the government has to bear 80% of the cost of this development phase, it is expected that as resources become available, the various studies would take place and this may span a period of up to eighteen months.
A preliminary traffic study had been done in early 2001 and had evaluated four alternative sites for the proposed project.
It had generated preliminary estimates of traffic, toll revenue and the project economic benefits using a contingent valuation methodology or willingness to pay.
The advertisement said that the purpose of the current consultancy is to expand on the preliminary results, reviewing the cost, revenue and benefits estimates and updating or changing them.
“A particular focus of this study is to ensure that all the economic and developmental costs and benefits of the proposed project are fully considered and evaluated.
The study should permit the GOG (Government of Guyana) to evaluate the economic feasibility of the bridge and to compare the costs, benefits and environmental and social impacts of different sites,” the advertisement says.
The BRBC had anticipated conducting its own feasibility study for the project and a government source indicated that these issues can all be merged to bear in mind the economics of the project.
Proposals for prequalification are required on or before September 10th and would be opened at a public ceremony in the conference room of the Central Tender Board.