HDC re-launches housing bid

THE Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has sought to relaunch its invitation to contractors to bid to build public housing units at two sites in San Fernando and Port of Spain after the previous cancellation of contracts given to China Gezhouba Group International Engineering.

Sunday Newsday carried a paid press advert by the HDC titled, “Request for proposal: For the provision of design-build-finance (DBF) services for the TT Housing Development Corporation Lady Hailes and South Quay Developments.”

The advert said the HDC was seeking proposals from qualified local and international DBF forms – individual companies or joint venture – for the construction of two apartment building complexes.

“The successful DBF contractor will be chosen using a competitive selection process as outlined in the request for proposal (RFP) and will be required to demonstrate adequate DBF experience.” The RFP package can be bought for $5,000, following which applicants will be invited to a bid clarification session and then a site visit. Bids must be sent to the tender box at the HDC at South Quay by January 6, 2020.

On Sunday, a separate HDC press advert invited bids for the provision of design-build-finance services for the construction of an apartment complex for Tragarete Road, Port of Spain. The bidding process was identical to the first RFP.

In September, the Prime Minister cancelled a US$72 million contract between the HDC and the China Gezhouba Group to build 5,000 housing units across TT, including 235 units at Lady Hailes and 204 at South Quay. Each unit was reported to cost on average $1.1 million. Days later Rowley reaffirmed the project would be re-tendered, but for less than the original US$72 million.

He had related Cabinet had approved a "non-binding and non-detailed" framework agreement after which the HDC proceeded to a contract.

“HDC has been instructed to go back out to tender, because there were some parts of that contract which did not meet the Cabinet’s acceptance and approval, structurally and legalistically,” Rowley had said.

“So that contract has been stopped. We are not going forward with it in the way in which it was produced.” Rowley suggested the first contract had been too accommodating to a foreign entity, as he said a new contract could have “significant local participation.”

Newsday was yesterday unable to contract HDC chairman Newman George or CEO Brent Lyons or Housing Minister Edmund Dillon. However, HDC communications manager Dike Noel invited us to email our queries, for which we were awaiting a reply up to press time.