Council appoints Civil Contractors for NDRRA flood recovery works

Toowoomba Regional Council today appointed three civil contractors to carry out what will be the biggest road network flood reconstruction program seen in this region.

Under the NDRRA (Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements) Flood Recovery Program, council has appointed Queensland-based contractors Probuild Civil Pty Ltd (Albion), Civil Mining and Construction Pty Ltd (Eagle Farm) and FK Gardner & Sons Group Pty Ltd (Toowoomba) to carry out the on-ground works.

Estimated in the order of $120 million, this reconstruction program will cost almost double council's current annual road network capital and maintenance works program.

The flood recovery program of works is being delivered under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA), a joint federal and state initiative where the federal government provides 75% of the funding and the state government 25%.

Engineering Services portfolio leader Cr Carol Taylor said today's announcement heralded the beginning of an extensive program of some 1300 NDRRA flood reconstruction projects to be delivered across the region by mid 2013.

"While I acknowledge that these works have been some time coming, they will be delivered to today's engineering standards, ensuring a safe and efficient local road network engineered and built to last well into the future."

Cr Taylor explained that a complex and time-consuming funding submission and procurement process had been necessary in order to secure the NDRRA funding.

AECOM has been appointed by council to oversee the on-ground delivery of the NDRRA flood recovery program while council concentrates on its regular road construction and maintenance jobs.

Cr Taylor said the projects had been packaged into groups to allow streamlined works scheduling under the broad geographic areas of central, southern and northern regions.

"Jellicoe Street bridge reconstruction was the first NDRRA cab off the rank and should be completed by early April, weather permitting.

"From March onwards, approximately $8 million of works will be delivered each month or about $400,000 worth a day.

"When works are in full swing, the three contractors will have 30 plus work teams – or some 200 plus fulltime staff - in the field working."

Council will enter into a collaborative project agreement with each of the three preferred tenderers and future work packages will be allocated on the basis of value-for-money. 

Council's objectives for the program delivery include:

• to comply with Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) / NDRRA funding requirements,
• to maximise value for money,
• to limit council's program delivery costs to eligible funding amounts,
• to encourage local participation and
• to manage stakeholder and community expectations.

Cr Taylor said the call for Expressions of Interest and the subsequent tender process used to secure the civil contractor services attracted a strong market.

"The parties shortlisted to participate in the tender process provided well-thought-through and competitively priced responses," she said.