Almost 100 businesses have applied to be part of Government’s $13m economic stimulus programme aimed at small to medium-sized contractors.

The deadline for submissions for the Short Term Stimulus Programme was February 15 and the responses to the Request for Suppliers Qualifications (RFSQ) are currently being evaluated, the Minister of Public Works told the House this morning.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch said: “To date 18 companies have been approved and are pre-qualified to work with the Government.

“We are working to have at least 50 companies pre-qualified to work with the Government by Monday, March 8. Once all evaluations have been completed we will notify companies of their pre-qualified status.”

He said there had been 98 responses to the RFSQ since the programme launched on December 17.

The ministry has compiled a list of “shovel ready scheme, predominantly infrastructure projects, that could be executed within a three-month period.

Colonel Burch said that he launched the programme along with Erica Smith, executive director of the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation in response to an “urgent need” to retain and boost employment numbers in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He added: “The project’s selection principles are to maximise the employment of the private sector while providing much needed refreshing of neglected infrastructure.

“The prequalification criteria will include a scoring of technical competence, local employment benefit, and a schedule of unit rates. Suitable companies will then be added to an approved contractor list.

“Of note is that the prequalification process takes time but this will enable us to issue RFQs and award contracts to the pre-qualified companies at a much faster rate than having each contract approved individually.”

The plan is to enlist the contractors to carry out work at dock and building refurbishments, new construction, canal clearance, roadside fencing and health and safety improvements.

Colonel Burch added: “Companies will start to receive RFQ’s (Request for Quotes) for various Stimulus Projects next week.

“The Darrell’s Wharf repair project and the Flatts Bridge handrail project have been sent out for RFQs this week with intentions of awarding the contract and commencing on site in the coming weeks.

“Additional RFQs will be sent out next week, the week of March 8.”