THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES ANNOUNCES INVITATION TO PREQUALIFY FOR THE TENDERING FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW NATIONAL HOSPITAL PROJECT

The Ministry of Health and Social Services is pleased to announce the invitation to prequalify for the tendering for construction of the New National Hospital Project, a multi-million-dollar investment in Montserrat's healthcare system by the Government of Montserrat, funded by the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) via the Capital Investment Programme for Resilient Economic Growth (CIPREG).

The New National Hospital Project is a crucial investment in Montserrat's healthcare system and will create a modern, state-of-the-art facility, providing a range of medical and surgical services across approximately 57,817 square feet, including in-patient, outpatient, emergency care, maternity care, diagnostic services (including CT and mammography), and specialist clinics.

The prequalification process is open to local, regional and international contractors who meet the prequalification criteria. The prequalification process will evaluate the technical and financial capabilities of interested contractors to ensure that they are capable of delivering the project successfully. The shortlist of prequalified bidders will progress to the next stage.

The construction contract for the new hospital is expected to be awarded later this year, to enable commissioning of the new hospital by the end of 2025.

The Head of the PMO, Mr. Martin Parlett, said, "The New National Hospital Project, supported by the broader programme of health service transformation, is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve healthcare services for the Montserrat community. Over the last months, the team has been working diligently to develop and finalise key elements of the design. Whilst this approaches completion, I am delighted that we are now in a position to begin the pre-qualification process for the construction phase. We are committed to supporting the Ministry of Health to ensure that the project is delivered successfully, and we encourage all qualified contractors to participate in the prequalification process."

The pre-qualification process, officialyl launched in March 2023, will end on 12th May 2023. Contractors who are interested in participating in the prequalification process should submit their applications in line with the instructions within the Prequalification Document launched on the Government’s tendering website (link here) or via the MyTenders.co.uk website (link here). Contractor queries or clarifications should be sent to the Procurement Team via procurement@gov.ms

The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health, Mrs Camille Thomas-Gerald, said, "The New National Hospital Project is not only a significant investment in the future of Montserrat's healthcare system, but a symbol of our national development. I would like to recognize the substantial contributions of the full community of stakeholders involved in developing the Project to this important stage – including our healthcare and ministry teams, the FCDO and international technical agencies (including PAHO and UKHSA), Article 25 Humanitarian Architecture (design contractor), the Programme Management Office, and the Public Works Department. After more than 27 years of post-volcanic operations at the existing Glendon Hospital, the Ministry looks ahead to welcoming the selected construction contractor on board, and breaking ground in Montserrat later this year."

Earlier this year, the FCDO and Government of Montserrat announced the extension of the additional funding for the New National Hospital Project via an extension to the CIPREG Programme. In 2022, the FCDO also committed £3m of new funding for essential critical equipment in Montserrat. This included the procurement of a new CT Scanner, 3D mammography machine, Oxygen Generator, and other life-safety equipment and training.

The Project Manager for the Hospital Project, Mr. Hannes De Bruin, concluded, "We are looking for contractors who have the expertise, experience and resources to deliver a top-class hospital facility in the Caribbean. We will be selecting contractors who can demonstrate a strong track record of delivering complex projects on time, on budget and to the highest quality. We encourage all qualified contractors to submit their applications for the prequalification process. Interested bidders should note that other contract opportunities in site enabling works will be advertised separately over the coming weeks and months.”