Companies interested in running the cement distribution facility in Dockyard have been asked to submit bids.

The West End Development Corporation yesterday asked qualified parties interested in "taking over" the cement facility to submit their proposals by June 30.

The notice stated the facility would be "using the site known as silos situated in the south basin of Dockyard Island, with effect from August 1, 2010".

MaxCem Bermuda Ltd. is currently running the silos.

The company, which is headed by Dennis Correia, has been running the facility on a six-monthly renewal basis for the past two years since taking over from Jim Butterfield and his company Bermuda Cement Company.

The request for proposal (RFP) does not appear to require that the silos on the site be moved Wedco had demanded that they be demolished or rebuilt at a different location when Mr. Butterfield's company operated the site.

Mr. Butterfield, a majority shareholder of BCC, had been operating the facility at Dockyard for 40 years. He and six other shareholders decided to sell after five years of protracted discussions.

Talks between the group and Wedco broke down over whether the silos would be moved. BCC argued this would cost up to $15 million and the current silos had approximately 40 more years of use in them.

Mr. Butterfield and the other shareholders ultimately sold the company. It was then that Wedco appeared to back down over the issue of moving the silos.

The Royal Gazette has not yet seen the RFP. Wedco and MaxCem did not respond to a request for comment last night.