Fourteen tenders, valued at more than BD2 million ($5.3 million), were opened in public at the Tenders Board's meeting at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre last month.

A contract to build a new air traffic control tower at Bahrain International Airport drew only one bidder, the UK-based Avionic Services. The tender worth BD1.13 million will now be sent to the client, the Works and Housing Ministry, to confirm it meets technical specifications. Tenders Board chairman Abdulhussain Ali Mirza said the company would be appointed as contractor if the client was happy with its proposal.

The tower has been designed by local consultant Ahmed Abubaker Janahi Architects. The tower and another project for the redevelopment of the taxiway form part of the initial phase in the airport's infrastructure upgrade.

Among other projects, five firms have submitted their consultancy bids for Bahrain Racing Circuit road works for the Works and Housing Ministry (see page 6).

Nine contractors submitted tenders for construction of the Diraz housing blocks for the ministry. They are Habib Ali Awachi (BD651,995), AbdulKarim Al Jahromi (BD497,843), Al Door Contracting (BD493,856), Mohsin Haji Ali (BD563,894), Awali Transport and Contracting (BD692,396), Hafeera Contracting (BD480,000), Down Town (BD516,890), Ahmed Mansoor Al A'ali (BD627,045) and Atlas Transport (BD490,331).

Other contracts included the supply of furniture and workforce for various ministries.

According to an amendment to the Tenders Law, tenders worth less than BD10,000 can now be executed directly by the concerned ministries or government-owned companies without the approval of the Tenders Board.

Bahrain's new law regulating government tenders and purchases has resulted in substantial savings over the past two months, said Minister of State Abdulhussain Ali Mirza.

Overall project costs have slid due to the transparency, he said. The new law is based on the best clauses from similar laws enacted in the US, Singapore, Oman and Kuwait and organisations like the United Nations and World Bank, the minister said.

The newly established Tenders Board oversees all government tenders and purchases, estimated at between BD200 million and BD300 million ($530.5-795.7 million) every year, he said.