PB due for NZ wastewater PPP

A council on New Zealand's North Island is to appoint a preferred bidder for a wastewater PPP in the coming weeks, after one of the shortlisted teams pulled out.

A spokesperson for Rotorua Lakes Council told Partnerships Bulletin that a decision on the preferred bidder for the Rotorua Wastewater Treatment Plant is due “within a couple of weeks”.

Launched in September 2017, the authority sought partners to design, build and finance the plant under a 25-year concession.

The council shortlisted the following teams earlier this year:

- Trility/Stantec/Fulton Hogan;

- Broadspectrum/Cadagua/Jacobs/Spartan Construction;

- Fletchers/Suez/Beca

However, the spokesperson added that the Fletchers consortium has subsequently withdrawn from the procurement process.

Two teams, consisting of Veolia/UGL and Fitzroy Engineering/Mena Water, did not pre-qualify.

Morrison Low, Lane Neave and Mott MacDonald are advising the authority.

Meanwhile, Rotorua Lakes Council is exploring future use options (including funding options) for the Blue Baths, a heritage-listed building, and is seeking interest from the industry by 30 October.