The Phnom Penh Municipal Hall has begun the bidding process with more than 30 firms for waste collection contracts in the capital, with 20 applications received so far.
A press conference which aimed to inform bidding firms of the contract details, including rubbish management, procedures and timetables for each phase of the bidding process was held on Thursday and will continue on Friday.
The press conference also aimed to instruct firms on procedures for the bidding process.
Phnom Penh governor Khuong Sreng said on Thursday that the city will be divided into three waste management areas where interested firms can bid to provide their services.
“The procurement process will have two phases – assessment of capacity and the service quality of the applicant. The second phase is to allocate the appropriate firm to the designated area,” he said.
He said the main issue in the capital was sanitation problems, which the administration would take into consideration when picking a firm.
“The bidding process starts from today until 4pm on March 31. So firms which have an interest in joining the bidding process should fill in all documents correctly and submit their applications before the deadline,” he said.
Phnom Penh deputy governor and municipal deputy chief of administration Huot Hay said 20 firms have responded since the bidding process was opened.
“We have prepared three areas for firms to bid for. Each area will have a single firm chosen to provide the services,” he said.
According to a Phnom Penh Municipal Hall document, the first area is Tuol Kork, Russey Keo, Sen Sok, Chroy Changvar and Prek Pnov districts. The second comprises Dangkor, Por Sen Chey, Kambol, Daun Penh and Prampi Makara districts, and the third is Chamkarmon, Meanchey, Chbar Ampov and Boueng Keng Kang districts.
Prime Minister Hun Sen ended waste collection company Cintri Ltd’s contract with the government on October 22, last year, citing its inability to provide efficient services.
Waste collection services were subsequently handed over to the municipal hall which will oversee rubbish collection until new companies are appointed.
A Ministry of Environment report released late last year said Cambodia produced more than 10,000 tonnes of rubbish a day, equivalent to nearly four million tonnes a year.
Of that, 65 per cent is organic waste, 20 per cent plastic waste and the rest solid and other waste. Phnom Penh alone produces an estimated 3,000 tonnes of rubbish a day.