MANAMA — Bahrain awarded 769 tenders in the first half of 2020 worth a total of $1.7 billion according to new data released by Bahrain’s Tender Board — the country’s government procurement regulator.

The construction and engineering sector took the lion’s share of contracts in the first six months of the year, with awarded tenders totalling some $588.3 million, emphasizing the Bahrain government’s continued commitment to its extensive pipeline of infrastructure projects.

The construction and engineering sector was followed by the oil and gas sector; the materials and equipment sector; and then the services sector, which saw a total of $416.3 million, $292.6 million and $202.4 million of awarded tenders respectively. The aviation sector brought up the rear, with awards worth $172.2 million in the same period.

Commenting on the new data, the Chairman of Tender Board Shaikh Nayef Bin Khalid Al Khalifa said: “Bahrain awarded a total of 47 public tenders worth a combined $21.8 million to Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs as per the Cabinet decision to assign some public spending to the SME sector.”

In terms of tenders value, Tatweer Petroleum topped the list for the awarded tenders, worth a total of $396.5 million followed by the Electricity and Water Authority with awarded bids worth some $305.3 million and subsequently the Ministry of Housing awarded tenders worth $238.6 million in the first six months of the year.

The Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning followed by Gulf Air awarded tenders standing at $165.2 million and $156.4 million respectively. The total value of awarded tenders for other public entities stood at around $410 million.

Some of the key service projects that were settled by the Board and have a direct impact on the livelihoods of citizens and residents include wrapping up several tenders to carry out construction and maintenance works at residential units under the Ministry of Housing, worth a combined US $238 million, as well as some $297 million worth of awarded bids in the fields of sewage works, infrastructure and electricity and water services. – SG