The contract for the Curepe Interchange project would be signed next year but it is still uncertain whether first-ranked bidder Vinci Construction or controversial second-ranked bidder Lutchmeesingh Transport Contractors Ltd would get the nod.In an interview on Tuesday, president of the National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco) Dr Carson Charles said the negotiating committee submitted its report in mid-December but no decision could be taken as the board's term came to an end.
"I indicated before that nothing can happen in December and that the contract will be finalised in January. The negotiating committee submitted its report, so we have to wait until January," Charles said.He said once the board comes back in session, the matter will be dealt with."I expect that we will make a new appointment and the board will consider the findings and recommendations of the negotiating committee."
Asked to divulge the details of the report, Charles said this was a highly confidential document."It is very unusual for the details of a tendering process to be made public. The entire tendering process is private because clients have confidentiality clauses. This particular tendering is all over the place," Charles said.
Officials of Vinci Construction and Lutchmeesingh have remained tight-lipped on the issue since concerns regarding the award of the contract was raised by Junior Works Minister Stacy Roopnarine, who alleged political interference by her boss, Works and Infrastructure minister Dr Suruj Rambachan.
Roopnarine later said that she was wrong in her accusations and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in a statement to Parliament said Roopnarine was misinformed.Based on documents obtained by the Guardian, Lutchmeesingh reportedly bid $313 million for the contract while Vinci, the number one choice in the tendering process, had reduced its initial $522 million price to $442 million after Nidco negotiated for a reduction.
Nidco entered into talks with Lutchmeesingh after Vinci refused to move under $442 million. In November, Nidco announced that bidders may have another chance at the mega-project because both Vinci and Lutchmeesingh were refusing to reduce their price.Cabinet has allotted $308 million to build the Curepe interchange.