The Government has put out a request for quotations for a firm to provide aggregates for asphalt paving as the Ministry of Public Works continues roadworks.

The RFQ, published on the Government’s procurement website this week, calls for the supply and delivery of 3,390 metric tonnes of No 7 Stone, 6,857 metric tonnes of “dirty” sand and 3,753 metric tonnes of washed sand.

The deadline for submissions was listed as 3pm on March 9, with an estimated execution date for an agreement set for April 21.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, said at a Budget press conference this week that a major repaving effort intended to improve the state of the island’s roads was expected to be completed this year.

Colonel Burch said that work will continue on the paving of Harrington Sound Road in Smith’s as well as other areas of “significant deterioration”.

He said: “I am keenly aware of motorists’ concerns who are sometimes frustrated by lane closures and delays in their daily commutes.

“We are still a year out from it all concluding. This investment will go a long way to ensuring that the state of our roads will be strengthened for years to come and the reliability of the electricity supply is enhanced.

“It will probably take us the whole year. We are likely to have challenges with aggregate, which most contractors are now importing, and so we are looking at doing the same thing.”