The tender for the development of the main design and construction of the Mateševo-Andrijevica highway section has been extended until May 14th, as several interested companies requested additional time to submit documentation. It is expected that the contractor to build this route will be selected by mid-year.
This was confirmed to "Vijesti" by the state-owned Monteput. The tender for the second section of the highway was announced on February 28th on the website of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and was supposed to last until April 29th, but the deadline for submitting bids was extended to the middle of this month.
"In accordance with the planned activities, it is expected that the public procurement procedure will be concluded and the contractor will be selected by the middle of this year. The deadline for submitting bids for the tender for the development of the main project and the execution of works on the Mateševo-Andrijevica highway section has been extended to May 14 in order to meet the demands of a large number of interested companies. Several potential bidders have contacted us with a request for an extension of the deadline, as they were not able to complete all the necessary documentation within the stipulated time. Given the complexity of the project and the extensiveness of the tender conditions, it was assessed that there is a justified need to provide additional time in order to enable the quality participation of as many interested participants as possible," said Monteput.
This tender was announced after the pre-qualification tender for the selection of contractors was cancelled at the end of February, at the request of the EBRD and the Delegation of the European Union in Podgorica. Companies that did not pass the pre-qualification can now apply. "Vijesti" reported at the time that the formal reason for the cancellation of the pre-qualification was a protest by the residents of the villages of Kralje and Slatina near Andrijevica, which led to the relocation of the route by 14 kilometers, and sources said that the reasons were also that European companies did not apply for the tender, but contractors from China, Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Monteput did not specify how many companies have applied for the tender so far, because as they say, the application process is still ongoing but that the interest is significant. They state that they will know the exact number after the deadline and the opening of the documentation, but that they cannot disclose details in order to preserve transparency and equal treatment of all involved.
"The tender is being conducted according to strict EBRD rules and procedures, which implies high standards of transparency, competitiveness and accountability at every stage of the process. After the deadline for submitting bids, a detailed evaluation phase follows. The goal is to conduct the process carefully, with full respect for legal procedures and standards, in order to select the most favorable and highest quality bidder for the implementation of this significant infrastructure project," the state-owned company stated.
Complaints mechanism
Monteput has also formed a body that will monitor the "Complaints Mechanism", through which citizens will be able to submit comments or complaints about preparatory or other works on the second section - which negatively affect them or create consequences for the local or other population. They announced that the goal is to protect the rights and interests of citizens and that the mechanism was established based on EBRD rules.
Thus, citizens can complain to Monteput or the future contractor, free of charge and anonymously, in writing or orally, in case of doubts related to expropriation, the method of assessment and the amount of compensation, increased noise, dust, unauthorized use of private plots for the disposal of construction waste, destruction of roads, disabled access to land, negative impacts on the quality of the environment, damage to infrastructure, unworthy behavior of workers...
If the citizen's complaint is well-founded, Monteput will make a decision to accept it and determine adequate measures, which will be implemented within 30 working days. In the event that the complaint is determined to be unfounded, it will be rejected, and citizens may request additional proceedings against such a decision before a three-member commission, consisting of two members from Monteput and one from the local community. If it is determined that the request is well-founded and that there is concern from the community, a public meeting may be organized in which experts will also participate. The courts certainly remain accessible to citizens outside of this mechanism.
As "Vijesti" wrote at the end of last year, the pre-tender documentation for the design and construction of this section planned that the design would last one year, and the construction would last four years. At the beginning of last year, the European Commission announced that it would participate in the construction of this section with 100 million euros in non-refundable support, and the EBRD with a favorable loan of 200 million euros. Because of these favorable conditions, the government will have to respect the wishes of its European partners, unless it can finance the construction of this 24-kilometer section itself, which is estimated at 550 to 600 million euros.
The pre-qualification tender was announced in April last year according to EBRD rules and procedures, and ended at the end of June. At the time, it was announced that five companies and three consortiums had applied, without providing details of the bids.
Comments are accepted until May 20th.
Public consultations on documents on the impact of the Mateševo - Andrijevica highway route on the environment and social environment will be held from May 22nd to 29th, in local communities through which the section passes.
The deadline for submitting comments and objections to these documents is May 20th.
The highway goes through the municipalities of Kolašin and Andrijevica, i.e. the towns of Mateševo, Bare Kraljske, Sunga, Gnjili Potok, Kralje, Slatina, Sjenožeta...
Monteput announced that the adoption of these documents is in the final stage, and that they include an environmental and social impact assessment, a stakeholder engagement plan, a framework for implementing expropriation, a report on previous consultations and meetings, as well as a plan for managing environmental and social impacts.
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