The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), a Philippine government-owned and controlled corporation, has plans to launch in July a new pre-qualification round for the New Centennial Water Source - Kaliwa Dam Project (NCWS-KDP).

The next stage in this re-launched tender process will involve issuance of invitation to bid to prequalified bidders, a pre-bid conference and actual submission of bids.

This announcement comes after MWSS did not shortlist any bidder for the project in a first prequalification round. As we reported in early June three companies failed to qualifiy:

• San Miguel Corporation
• Megawide Construction Corporation
• Abeinsa (Abengoa Group)

Interested parties that bought bid documents but did not sumbitt their qualification documents were: Filinvest Development Corp.; DM Consunji, Inc.; Prime Metroline Holdings, Inc.; San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders & Developers Group, Inc.; and Obrascón Huarte Lain S.A.

The project involves the design, financing and construction of dam and raw water conveyance structure. Its objective is to ensure water security, increase Metro Manila's raw water supply to meet future potable water demand, and as a redundant water source, thereby reducing the total dependency on the Angat Dam reservoir.

The contract is valued at approximately P18.72-billion (US$415.5 million).

To support MWSS during the previous tender process, the Philippines' PPP Center appointed RebelGroup in consortium with Allen & Overy, Crisil, PJS Law and Royal Haskoning DHV as the Transaction Advisor for the NCWS Project.