Four firms eye Capitol water project

Four companies have shown interest in pre-qualifying for a bulk water supply system for the Cebu provincial government.

Capitol spokesman Rory Jon Sepulveda said the four companies already sent their notice of intent to bid.

Last July 15, during Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s State of the Province Address (SOPA), she mentioned that she had successfully negotiated the unsolicited offer with a consortium led by Manila Water Company Inc.

The project cost is pegged at P1.5 billion.

The other companies interested in bidding for the project are Rio Verde Water Consortium Inc., Maynilad Water Services Inc and Promark Process International Corporation.

Sepulveda said another company would still submit its formal notice since he had received a call from the lawyer of that company.

The four interested bidders must meet eligibility requirements set by the Joint Investment Evaluation and Selection Committee (JISC) of the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO).

One requirement is that the bidder must have net assets or capital of P800 million.

The Capitol has set August 25 as the deadline for other bidders to submit their notice of intent.

After that date, JISC will be given 10 days to evaluate the bidders.

Sepulveda said if no interested bidder will pre-qualify or if nobody submits a notice to bid, they will award the unsolicited proposal to Manila Water.

“If one is eligible, we will ask them if they are interested. We will show them the nuts and bolts of the documents,” he told reporters.

PPDO head Adolfo Quiroga said an invitation to bid was already published in a national daily.

Representatives from the Manila Water Co. submitted its proposal for bulk water supply to the governor last April.

Under the proposal, Manila Water would supply 35 million liters per day of potable water sourced from the Luyang River of Carmen town to meet the growing water requirements of the towns of Lilo-an, Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova and the cities of Danao, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

The project would be implemented under the framework of the Joint Investment Guidelines issued by the Cebu Provincial Board.

This lays down guidelines and procedures for joint investment activities with the provincial government.