Panama Canal Releases RFQ

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) released yesterday a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the construction of the new set of locks to be built under the Canal’s Expansion Program. The document is available at: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/procsales/buy.html. The release of the RFQ is part one of a two-phase process to determine the firm that will ultimately design and build the new locks. During this first prequalification stage, the ACP will evaluate responses (also called SOQ or Statement of Qualification) from prospective firms based on a combination of pass/fail criteria and capabilities. The four firms that meet the ACP’s needs with the highest number of points will move to the second and final round. The short-list-selection is expected to be announced by the end of November 2007.

In the second and final round, the ACP will release an RFP and respondents will submit a bid proposal. Other important dates in this process are: a site visit September 12, 2007 and a project information meeting September 13, 2007. The Expansion Program will build a new lane of traffic along the Panama Canal through the construction of a new set of locks, which will double capacity and allow more traffic and longer, wider ships.