Panama Canal awards lock contract

Panama Canal awards lock contract    The Panama Canal Authority said Thursday it has awarded a $3.1 billion contract to Consortium Grupo Unidos por el Canal to design and build the waterway’s new set of locks.
   The agency said it had confirmed that the consortium had given the “best value” proposal to build the third set of locks at the canal, which will expand capacity and allow larger ships to cross the isthmus.
   The contract was opened with two competing bids at a public event last week; officials reviewed the offers to verify its price submission based on authority requirements and regulations. It also concluded that the consortium has the resources to perform the project and bring it to completion.
   Members of the consortium are:
   ' Sacyr Vallehermoso S.A., leader (Spain).
   ' Impregilo S.p.A. (Italy).
   ' Jan de Nul n.v. (Belgium).
   ' Constructora Urbana S.A. (Panama).
   Designers (subcontractors) are:
   ' Montgomery Watson Harza (MWH), leader (United States).
   ' IV-Groep (Holland).
   ' Tetra Tech (United States).
   The gate manufacturer (subcontractor) is Heerema Fabrication Group (Holland).
   The canal authority determined the “best value” proposal based on weighted total scores — 55 percent for the technical proposal and 45 percent for the price submission. The base price of $3.12 billion submitted by Grupo Unidos por el Canal did not exceed the ACP’s owner’s allocated price of $3.48 billion.
   The canal authority said that all members of the consortia have been notified of this award, and are given five days to review it and an additional three days to file their protest, if with its contracting office. The authority then will issue an order to proceed for the work to commence. The canal authority said it expects the winning consortium to begin work no later than 42 days from the awarding.