In a bid to attract more bidders and foster competition, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has revised the eligibility criteria for the Shaheen Chowk underpass project, easing previous restrictions that had deterred most construction firms from participating.
Initially, the CDA set stringent requirements for the Rs1.3 billion project, which resulted in only one company submitting a bid. However, after reviewing the lone bidder’s technical proposal last Friday, the authority decided to reject the application and revise its criteria to encourage broader participation.
A CDA official explained that the earlier condition—requiring companies to have completed work worth Rs1.5 billion within 100 days over the past five years—was proving too exclusive. The updated criteria now allow any firm that has completed projects of similar value within 180 days during the same period to qualify for experience-based evaluation marks.
“We’ve relaxed the work experience condition, and we expect more firms to come forward now. This will ensure healthy competition,” said a CDA representative.
The decision comes after the civic body faced criticism for setting benchmarks that seemingly favored a limited pool of contractors. The revised tender, incorporating the new eligibility rules, has already been issued, and bids are now due by July 28.
According to standard procedures, the CDA will first evaluate technical bids, followed by the financial bid opening, before awarding the contract.
Interestingly, the only firm that had applied earlier began moving equipment to the site last Friday to perform test bore work, assuming the absence of competition guaranteed their success. However, their hopes were dashed after the CDA formally rejected their bid and reinitiated the tendering process.
The project involves constructing an underpass at the intersection of Khayaban-e-Iqbal and 9th Avenue, with a completion target of 180 days. It mirrors other fast-track infrastructure efforts by the CDA, including the Jinnah Square (formerly Serena Interchange) and F-8 Interchange projects. Both earlier initiatives also had accelerated timelines but ran into issues—Jinnah Square suffered from drainage flaws, and the F-8 Interchange has drawn scrutiny for its design shortcomings.
A senior CDA official confirmed the revision in the experience criteria, stating that firms with a successful track record of completing Rs1.5 billion worth of work within six months will now receive full marks under the experience category.
This revision marks a strategic shift aimed at promoting competition, transparency, and better execution for critical urban infrastructure projects.
