State-owned gas transmission system operator Bulgartransgaz has launched the first two tenders related to the implementation of the project for construction of a gas link between Bulgaria and Serbia.
The first tender is for technical design of the gas interconnection on Bulgarian territory and has an estimated price of 540,000 levs ($312,300/276,100 euro), VAT excluded, Bulgartransgaz said in a statement on Monday.
The deadline for submitting offers is July 3.
The second tender envisages provision of project consultant services and construction supervision for an estimated price of 320,000 levs, VAT excluded.
Candidates have until July 17 to file their bids in the public procurement procedure.
The ranking of the participants in both procurement procedures will be made on the basis of the most economically advantageous offer, expressed as the optimal quality/price ratio, according to objective indicators such as the period of impementation and price parameters, Bulgartrnasgaz noted.
The interconnector between Bulgaria and Serbia, which is expected to be completed in May 2022, is of key importance for the implementation of the concept for the establishment of a gas distribution centre in Bulgaria and it is one of the priority projects of the High Level Group on Energy Connectivity in Central and South-East Europe (CESEC), the company said.
"The Interconnection Bulgaria-Serbia has been declared a project of common interest for the European Union. Its implementation is part of the government's management programme in the energy sector, aimed at ensuring energy security and diversification of sources and routes of natural gas supply," Bulgartrnasgaz explained.
Earlier this month, Bulgartransgaz said that it is seeking a bank credit of up to 400 million euro ($453 million) in order to cover its operating and investment costs related to key projects in progress such as the construction of the Bulgarian section of TurkStream pipeline dubbed Balkan Stream, the interconnection Bulgaria-Serbia and the expansion of capacity of Chiren underground gas storage facility. The company has already published an invitation to tender for a bank loan with a repayment term of six years and interest lower than 3.9%.
(SeeNews, June 16, 2020)
