ISLAMABAD: The National Highways Authority (NHA) Executive Board approved the award of works for construction of Hoshab-Awaran section (146km) of M-8 project at a cost of Rs 14.57 billion against the engineers’ estimates of Rs 18.6 billion.
Official documents available with Business Recorder revealed that the NHA Executive Board meeting was held with Capt Sikander Qayyum (retired), Chairman, NHA in the chair, where the approval was granted.
According to the documents, the construction work has been divided into two packages. Package-IA is 73.5km and awarded to the lowest evaluated bidder M/s Maqbool-Calsons JV at their evaluated bid price of Rs 7.334 billion, which is 19.59 percent below the engineer’s estimate of Rs 9.12 billion based on CSR-2014.
The package 1B is 72.5km and be awarded to the lowest evaluated bidder M/s KACNIC-RMS-RA JV at their evaluated bid price of Rs 7.249 billion which is 23.89 percent below the engineer’s estimate of Rs 9.525 billion based on Composite Schedule of Rate (CSR)-2014.
The NHA Executive also approved the award of agreement for consultancy services for “Design Review and Construction Supervision of Hoshab-Awaran-Khuzdar Section of M-8 Project Package-I: Hoshab - Awaran (146 KM)” to M/s Zeeruk International (Pvt) Ltd in JV with M/s Loya Associates and M/s APEX consulting engineering, the highest ranked consultants in the combined (technical + financial) evaluation at evaluated cost of Rs 175.55 million.
The Executive Board also approved the award of agreement for consultancy services for “Design Review and Construction Supervision of Dualization of Khuchlac-Zhob Section of N-50 (Length – 305 Km)” to M/s Indus Associated Consultants (Pvt) Ltd in JV with M/s Cameos Engineering Consultants and M/s New Vision Engineering Consultants, the highest ranked consultants in the combined (technical + financial) evaluation at evaluated cost of Rs 358.42 million.
The NHA Executive Board approved the extension in services of already on board staff of HRTC (24 Nos) for one year period on same terms and condition.
This will be the final extension in the service of the contractual staff of the HRTC. Salaries and all other disbursements will be made as per ongoing arrangement i.e. through RMA account of the NHA.
The Board directed the Member (Planning) to complete and submit the draft functions/mandate of the HRTC, administrative, operational and financial manuals/SOPs, service rules, etc, for approval by the competent authority within shortest possible time.
The NHA Executive Board also approved: a. extension of the contract of commercial auditors (M/s Baker Tilly Mehmood Idrees Qamar and Co, Chartered Accountants) for the financial year 2019- 20 on same terms and conditions, as per clause 2, sub-clause 2.3 of the contract agreement between the NHA and the auditors. b. For future, the initial terms of appointment of the auditors will be for three years, and the requirement of State Bank of Pakistan, i.e. enlistment of the firm in Category “A” and the requirement of Audit Oversight Board (AOB), i.e. active status and enlistment on AOB also be considered along with compliance of the PPRA and NHA Code/Rules and Regulations. The NHA Executive Board approved the award of works for dualization of Kuchlac–Zhob Section of N-50, Package-III: KM 130+00 to KM 180+00 (Qila Saifullah to Nasai) 50 KM to M/s SMADBShahrukh-MBC (JV) the lowest bidder at their bid price of Rs 6.654 billion which is 37.02 percent below the engineer’s estimate of Rs 10.566 billion based on CSR-2014.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021