New PPPs lined up

BIDDING SCHEDULES for two more public-private partnership (PPP) projects are being finalized after National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approvals were secured by implementing agencies last month.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) plans to publish the invitation to prequalify and bid (ITPB) for the P24.4-billion Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project -- the first water PPP -- in January, Administrator Gerardo A. I. Esquivel said.

"We already have a timeline but this is still indicative. Publishing of [the] invitation will be from Jan. 3 to 17 for the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project," Mr. Esquivel told BusinessWorld last Friday.

An indicative timeline prepared by MWSS sets the submission and opening of prequalification documents on Feb. 4, to be followed by a 20-day evaluation period. Bid submissions have been tentatively set for Aug. 29 and a notice of award could be issued between Oct. 10-14.

The first water PPP project to be rolled out by the Aquino government entails the provision of treated water to some 24 local government units via the development of new sources and infrastructure.

"The concession period is 30 years, from 2015 to 2045. It has three stages ... the first one covers six water districts to be delivered by 2016...," Mr. Esquivel said.

The first stage calls for the provision of 100 million liters of water per day (MLD) to the municipalities of Obando, Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas and San Jose del Monte, while the second involves a 375 MLD volume for Calumpit, Bulakan, Guiguinto, Sta. Maria, Malolos, Paombong, Plaridel, Pulilan and Hagonoy. The final stage covers 237 MLD for Angat, Baliwag, Bustos, Norzagaray, San Miguel, Don Remedios Trinidad, San Ildefonso, San Rafael and Pandi.

TRANSPORT TERMINALS
The Transportation department, meanwhile, is planning to publish this month the ITPB for the P7.7-billion Development of Transportation System at the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) and Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) -- originally known as the Integrated Terminal System (ITS) project.

"The target is to start the bidding process ... this December," Transportation department spokesman Michael Arthur C. Sagcal said in a text message.

The PPP project involves the development of two facilities at the southern outskirts of Metro Manila: the South Luzon Express Way Terminal within the FTI Compound in Taguig, which will serve passengers traveling to and from Laguna and Batangas, and the Coastal Road Terminal inside the PRA property along the Manila-Cavite Expressway that will be for passengers traveling to and from Cavite.

Separate auctions will be staged for both.

The ITS project originally had three components -- two south stations and one north station. PPP Center Executive Director Cosette V. Canilao said the Transportation department "is still looking for the appropriate location" for the north facility. -- Claire-Ann Marie C. Feliciano and Lorenz Christoffer S. Marasigan
 
source:  Businessworld