The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has appointed Australian firm Cardno ACIL to assistthe Government of Indonesia in the procurement, quality assurance and monitoring of up to 1,000 post-tsunamireconstruction contracts.
Cardno ACIL, the international business arm of professional services firm Cardno [ASX: CDD], will monitor the implementation of US$400M (approximately A$550 million) of contracts awarded to buildbridges, roads, irrigation and drainage in Aceh and Nias.
Cardno Managing Director Andrew Buckley said the capacity of the recently merged engineering andinternational development assistance business was the key to beating other international firms to the fivemonth monitoring contract, which is valued at more than A$4 million.
“Cardno acquired ACIL so that the combined company could win larger and more challenging international projects, and this is a direct result of that decision,” Mr Buckley said.
“The UNDP needed a firm with the capability of establishing a monitoring process for up to 1,000 contracts by March 2006.
“The Cardno ACIL team combines personnel with significant experience in this advisory work and anestablished track record in delivering major infrastructure projects,” he said.
Cardno ACIL is partner to Badan Rehabilitasi dan Rekonstruksi (BRR), the Indonesian GovernmentAgency set up to coordinate and supervise the post-tsunami reconstruction efforts.
Cardno ACIL will assist BRR to ensure major infrastructure reconstruction projects are delivered on-time,on-budget and in a transparent manner.
A team of 100 Cardno ACIL specialists is expected to be deployed across nine fully-equipped offices inAceh and Nias within two weeks.
The project team will be working with more than 100 Indonesian government units and has alreadyemployed 34 Indonesian technical personnel and many local support staff.
The UNDP funds have been made available through the Multi Donor Trust Fund, funds provided byagencies such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and bilateral donors like the UK Department for International Development and the European Union.
Cardno ACIL Project Director Mr David Merrett said the contract was an exciting and challenging opportunity.
“We are changing the focus from disaster relief to rebuilding communities and livelihoods with the major infrastructure needed to return life to normal,” said Mr Merrett.
“We will also be working closely with local consultants, contractors and Indonesian government agenciesto build the capacity to manage these projects locally.
“We have five months to set up monitoring for up to 1,000 contacts and see projects underway, and weare starting from scratch.”
The UNDP advisory contract builds on the post-tsunami reconstruction work Cardno ACIL is currentlyundertaking for the Australian International Development Agency (AusAID).
The firm is also providing technical expertise to the $1 billion Australia Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development (AIPRD), administered by AusAID.
Cardno ACIL has worked with AIPRD since July 2005 in providing expert technical assistance to theBRR in the areas of the health and education sectors, and the revitalisation of the economic sector.
Cardno has positioned itself as a leading supplier to the world-wide development assistance marketfollowing the May 2005 acquisition of ACIL Australia and the September 2005 acquisition of the UKbasedAgrisystems, which provides access to the European and United Kingdom developmentassistance markets.
ENDS
For further information:
Andrew Buckley Managing Director
+61 7 3369 9822, 0412 059 526
Joanne Pafumi / Chris Cosgrove
Rowland Communication Group
+61 7 3229 4499
About Cardno: Cardno is an integrated professional services provider, locally delivering the specialistadvice necessary to create or improve the physical and social infrastructure that underpins communitiesaround the world. Our team comprises leading advisers who plan, design and deliver sustainableprojects or community programs. We are an international company, listed on the Australian StockExchange [ASX: CDD].
Cardno ACIL is the new name of Cardno’s recently merged international engineering division and ACILAustralia, a major international development assistance company.
www.cardno.com.au
Disclaimer: The views expressed herein are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of UNDP or any of the members of itsExecutive Board and of its programme countries.