The Special Selection Board for the Tamar Development Project has prequalified a total of four applicants for the design and build contract for the Tamar project.

The Administration Wing said a total of four submissions had been received by the application deadline in mid-March 2006.

The board chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration assessed the prequalification applications today, and prequalified all the applicants.

The board evaluated the applications based on prescribed criteria for assessing applicants' technical, managerial, financial and design capabilities.

The four prequalified applicants are (in alphabetical order):

* China State - Leighton - Yau Lee Joint Venture;

* DHK - CRCC Tamar Joint Venture;

* Gammon - Hip Hing Joint Venture; and

* Paul Y. - Shui On Joint Venture

Models to be presented for public viewing

Subject to funding support by the Legislative Council, the Government will invite the four prequalified applicants to tender for the design and build contract for the project in the third quarter of this year. The contract is expected to be awarded next year.

The board has also agreed that, when the tenders for the Tamar development project are returned, models of the designs will be presented to the public for viewing. The board will take the public's views into account when evaluating the tenders.

As scoring would be undertaken by the board and the public's participation is indirect, the integrity of the tendering process would be preserved.

The Tamar Development Project covers the design and construction of a 2-hectare open space, a new Central Government Complex, and a Legislative Council Complex.