The Port Qasim Authority is all set to sign a manning contract worth Rs 151.2 million with M/s Marine International after disqualifying its previous contractor M/s Bahria Foundation (BF). "The PQA chairman has approved the documents and a letter would be issued to the Marine International within next few days," sources in PQA told Business Recorder on Saturday.
They said changeover ceremony of the three-year contract would be held on April 28, 2008. The Authority in a bid opening ceremony about two months ago had short-listed at least four companies including M/s Marine International, M/s Bahria Foundation, M/s Al-Mina and M/s International Maritime Technology (IMTEC), they added.
"Out of four bidding firms the Marine International came up with the lowest bid amounting to Rs 4.2 million per month followed by Bahria Foundation with Rs 4.7 million," sources said.
The manning contract, which is renewed after every three years, was won by BF during the last term and it used to charge Rs 4.7 million per month for its services, sources said. "Now the Marine International has offered more competitive charges than the Foundation @ Rs 4.2 million and won the contract," they added.