West End terminal faces new bid delay

More than seven years after Hurricane Irma destroyed the West End ferry terminal, the plan to replace the facility continues to face delays.

The deadline for bids for the construction of a new terminal has been bumped from Oct. 25 to Jan. 17, according to the Recovery and Development Agency, which is overseeing the project.

“This extension has been granted to provide the shortlisted bidders with additional time to properly review the detailed specifications in order to submit comprehensive proposals in accordance with the project requirements,” the RDA said in a Monday statement, adding that bids received after the new deadline will not be considered.

The project — which also includes a temporary facility to process passengers during construction of the terminal — is being funded through part of the $65 million Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Loan that the government obtained from the CDB after hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.

But the procurement process has faced various hurdles.

In May 2023, the RDA launched an initial prequalification process, and nine firms responded. But the RDA and CDB reviewed the submissions and determined that none of them met the requirements.

As a result, all nine firms were disqualified.

Criteria relaxed

In August 2023, the RDA relaunched the process under relaxed criteria approved by the CDB. This time, four of nine bidders prequalified.

“I am particularly pleased to highlight that three local firms (one standalone applicant and two firms within a joint-venture application) were successful in the second round of the prequalification process,” Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer said in October 2023 in the House of Assembly. “This underscores the ability of our local contractors to succeed in the competitive bidding processes.”

Mr. Rymer also said at the time that the full tender process would begin early this year. That didn’t happen as planned, but on July 30 the CDB approved bidding documents that finally allowed the process to proceed, the RDA said at the time.

Four shortlisted firms were issued bid documents the same day, and they were set to take part in a site visit and bidders’ conference ahead of their previous deadline to submit bids by 10 a.m. on Oct. 25.

Despite announcing the new deadline this week, the RDA did not say whether the four firms are still in the running.

New design

In October 2023, Mr. Rymer also told the HOA that the new design will be 42,000 square feet and will have the capacity to process up to 200 passengers per hour, or 200,000 passengers per year.

“It will provide a fast and efficient facility for immigration and customs processing, with separate handling for private and charter yachts, private boats and water taxis from ferry passengers,” he said at the time.

For more information on the bidding process, contact the RDA’s Procurement Unit by emailing it at [email protected].