ROAD Development Agency (RDA) acting director communications and corporate affairs Anthony Mulowa says although the future is bright for local contractors to handle big projects, they need to grow their capacity.

In an interview, Tuesday, Mulowa said government, through RDA, wanted to grow local contractors’ capacity so that they could take up bigger jobs in the future.

“Of course our contractors are doing their best but of course, they need to grow their capacity, but they are doing quite well. You know, to embrace these chances and ensure that they grow, because the government through the Road Development Agency wants to grow the capacity of these local contractors so that they can take up bigger jobs in the future. That’s how we can grow money and make money stay in our country. The future is bright for them to handle big contracts,” he said.

“It’s so competitive I must say because everyone is trying to get a job. We have seen an increase of course in the recent past where people are now interested in bidding for jobs. For us we look at the best bidder, the person who has met the specific criteria. There is stiff competition I must say.”

And Mulowa said the agency is on May 13 set to receive applications from local contractors interested to bid for the over 8,000 kilometers-worth of routine road maintenance contracts available to them.

“We give them time from 08:00 hours to whatever, the bids should be put in a closed box. Everyone should put in their bids and we then get them. So we are waiting for those bids to be submitted on that day, 13th May 2022. What happens is that these things are being done at our regional offices. So in Kasama there, they will take it because people from Kasama will do it from Kasama, those from Lusaka province will do it from the regional office. So after that, then our processes of evaluation, procurement processes will be followed,” said Mulowa.

“There is a process of evaluation where we check, are these people responsive to the sector criteria, are they meeting the basic minimum and whatever. Because it is a competition, so that’s how others fall off. So after that, the procurement committee sits and looks at the matter. It is quite a lengthy process but of course the process has started and the due process of the procurement rules will be followed. So we just encourage people to submit and abide by the sector criteria so that they can win these tenders.”