Public works secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. yesterday said they would open the bidding of the National Road Improvement and Management Project 2 (NRIMP2) projects in July, which they expect to be in place before the President steps down in 2010.

The NRIMP 2 project with approved loan of $232 million from World Bank (WB) involves the improvement and upgrading of 12 roads mostly in Mindanao areas.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said up for bidding were Surigao-Davao Coastal's Jct. Bacuag-Claver section, Many-Mati section, 2.5A Surigao Prov Bdy-Lanuza and 2.5 B Lanuza-Cortez; the Malalag -Malita-JA Santos; Digos-Cotabato City; Cotabato City-Marawi City and Landslide Risk Mitigation, all in Mindanao.

Also up for bidding were the construction of Magapit-Sta Ana, in Luzon; Mindoro East Coast in Mindoro, the Zarraga -Ivisan, bridges in Panay; the Bacolod-Kabankalan in Negros; and the Marcos Highway in Manila.

The scope of the Surigao-Davao coastal road project in Mindanao involves the upgrading of 22 km gravel road to 2-lane concrete pavement, including re-blocking existing sections.

The Marcos Highway will undergo reconstruction of 4.7 km 8-lane urban arterial highway and flood risk management construction of 6 km. box culvert drainage.

Ebdane said they would make sure that those involved in the bid rigging in the NRIMP1 would not be allowed to participate in the bidding.

Ebdane also said that this time, more local contractors would be allowed to participate in the bidding. He said that with smaller contract packages, the Filipinos would be given a level playing field, as the capitalization requirements will also be smaller.

He added the bids and awards committee will be using a combination of its own bidding process and that of the World Bank.

"But the distribution of construction packages will be only around P500-600 million worth per project so that our own contractors will be able to qualify for the bidding."

Previously, projects involving P1 billion and above are being cornered by the foreign contractors, since one of the requirement for qualification is to have done at least 3 major projects abroad.

"This requirement alone almost disqualifies local firms since their capitalization is much lower than that of foreign companies," he said.

Meanwhile, for long-term maintenance projects under NRIMP 2, road projects up for bidding are North Luzon (Manila North Road: Monumento-Agoo/Aringay Bdy), South Luzon, (Pagsanjan-Lucena, Tiaong-Lucena Jct, Pagbilao-Camarines Norte, Lucena Diversion); Mindoro East Coast, Panay Island, Negros Island and Mindanao Island.

The long- term road maintenance and preventive maintenance programs are all expected to start this year until 2012.