Govt waives tender process to issue $190K contract for Admin Complex mould remediation
Government has awarded two contracts totalling almost $200,000 for a Puerto Rican company to provide full mould remediation services to the Ralph T O’Neal Administration Building in Road Town.
A report on Cabinet’s October 25 meeting said government waived the tender process for Indoor Environmental Consultants from San Juan to receive the contracts.
The first contract — which is valued at $151,000 — is to cover the cost of cleaning contaminated materials and material disposal.
The report further said the mould removal measures employed for the building must be done in accordance with two international standards — the guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments, and the IICRC S520 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Mould Remediation.
Meanwhile, the second contract is valued at $39,000 and is to cover the cost of training and equipping the maintenance staff of the government complex in mould remediation-related services. This second contract is also to include decontamination of the building’s basement and post-remediation verification testing.
The entire works to be carried out on the building is expected to be conducted urgently and is aimed at improving the overall indoor air quality of the building and to also maximise the preservation of government documents.
The renovation of the Ralph T O’Neal Administration Building is under the responsibility of Minister of Transportation, Works & Utilities, Kye Rymer.
Government agencies that were housed in building have been temporarily relocated while works to the building are undergone.
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I wonder why haven’t they told you that the tender process was waived?
I wonder why haven’t they told us the reason why the tender process was waived?
Business as usual.
Ministers handing out our tax contributions to their friends with no tender process.
Nothing has changed in this place in my lifetime and probably never will…
You get the government you deserve. When will we wake up as a people?
Don’t we have a few professional mold removal companies on island? Would it have been that difficult to review a submission from them before spending our money outside the country?
Stop pretending as if you give a **it about local contractors. If a local was rewarded the contract we would have over 50 comments here talking about corruption, blah blah! Go have a seat.
The Admin building mold issues has been going on for years with local contractors trying to remediate the issue with no resolve, time to move on and try other companies.
Which local companies mediated the admin building? Their ‘big’ supporter got this job and brought in these Ricans. Yet Andrew dem say they for local companies – crock of manure! The mold will be there long after these ricans bounce and so too will our tax dollars.
Is the building air and water right yet to treat the contaminated spaces?
@Mmm. Does ANY ONE in the. BVI not know that MANY buildings are mold infested?
If these “ companies” are here WHY don’t they offer their services and RID / CURE these buildings of the mold infestation so that peoples’ lives and health can be improved ?
People want mold remediated, but don’t want to pay to have it done, that’s why.
Poor drafty construction, doors & windows open AND running overloaded, improperly installed, improperly sized, improperly draining air conditioning… Set at 65 (18c) degrees. Oh… never maintained. All the mold one would want & more.
I see the lucky contractor is being paid for “material disposal”. To be clear, they shouldnt just be dumping the material at Pockwood Pond then….
How much has been spent over the years – once sheetrock has mold that’s its the interior walls need taking down and replacing or we’ll just keep on spending
Either we have a tendering process or we don’t. Every time you turn around this Government and the previous one have an excuse to not follow the process. No, no, no, you are supposed to follow the laws of the country not circumvent them at every possible opportunity.
Mold is a serious problem in the BVI offices. Lots of people have become very sick because of it. The Offices have tried and failed many times relying on local experts only to see the same issue return again and again. The AC vents are a big part of the problem as sometimes the water build up settles in the hidden parts of the building where mold is formed and the spores are then circulated by the same AC ventilation. The Carpets are also a big breeding ground for mold especially after they get wet and allowed to air dry in the AC without natural heat.
The Central Admin Building now Ralph T. O’neal Admin Building has been plagued by mold (mould) infestation for the longest. Some mold remediation have been attempted but with little success. The problem has been known for the longest so I’m puzzled as to why the tender process was waived. Was the sole source procurement due to lack of bidders? Were there not enough time and qualified companies in the VI, USVI and Puerto Rico areas to compete for the acquisition on a best value or at low bid basis? Are there no mold remediation companies in the BVI?
Yes. Their are company’s in bvi but contract cond. Are. Not. Worth doing. Works. The land is reclaimed so mold treatments will be a ongoing process but u dealing w persons who don’t know. What’s involved. This works should have been carried out long time ago. Wish them luck. Am glad amnot involved