The Hindu 01.04.2013
Poor response prompts civic body to float tender for third time
With no tender documents submitted for the construction of new main office building for the City Municipal Corporation, the civic body has floated tender for the third time asking bidders to submit documents by May 9.
Officials said that there are no takers for the Rs. 7-crore project due to the financial year end as new Standard Schedule of Rates for the year 2013-14 would be revised by the Public Works Department that may be effective from May 1.
Hence, due to escalating cost of construction materials, contractors would wait and watch the new rates and participate in the tender process.
“This is usual during financial year end,” said a senior corporation official.
The cost of steel approved by the Schedule of Rates Committee for 2012-13 is Rs. 48,000 per metric tonne and cement is Rs. 5,200 per mt. The new rates for 2013-14 could be increased by about 5 to 10 per cent and hence, contractors are waiting for the new rates.
The second tender was floated on March 26, with bid submission starting from April 9 and closing on May 9.
The project is to construct the building at 1,25,150 sq ft to house all major departments and work is planned to be completed in 600 days.
