Business & Money | Tuesday 1 December, 2015 5:06 am |

The Royal Commission for Jubail (RCJ) currently manages a total of 91 construction contracts worth SR19 billion in more than 200 sites, said Ahmed Al-Balawi, general manager of technical affairs in the RCJ.

During a meeting with the contracting committee’s members in Asharqia Chamber, Al-Balawi offered a visual presentation entitled, “Future opportunities and main requirements to work in the RCJ’s projects.”
The official said that the future projects are estimated at SR23 billion in Jubail and Ras Al-Khair industrial cities over the next five years, confirming that there are continuing opportunities for contractors who want to work in these cities through working with the RCJ or the private sector.
The RCJ will continue to develop the contracting sector by professional institutional work to improve the quality and performance of the Saudi contractor, Al-Balawi said, explaining that the RCJ’s priorities include applying the highest quality and safety standards in the workplace and protecting workers and preserving the environment. It also focuses on developing plans and programs for the national workforce in the contracting sector.
On the influence of the owners’ decisions on projects, he said that the success or failure in any project is affected by decisions taken by the owner or the supervisor of the project in their choice of the contractor, which is one of the most important decisions affecting the progress of work and the extent of risk assessment for the application of proper supervision and completion of projects optimally.
He said the RCJ — through the application of government procurement system — is keen on activating the technical evaluation by the teams and committees formed for that purpose, and field visits, as well as seeking the views of former beneficiaries of the contractor’s work to make sure of his ability to perform the assigned work.
Speaking on the development of the center of the industrial city of Jubail, Al-Balawi said the future city center project will include administrative buildings, commercial areas, centers for exhibitions and conferences, hotels and residential apartments, service facilities, in addition to the light rails to transfer the center-goers from one area to another and the various parts of the city.
The official said that the commission is dealing with the contractor as its partner in the success of the undertaken projects, noting that the RCJ takes a leading role in directing the contractor. It holds weekly meetings at the beginning of the contract to discuss all the required works.
He said that the RCJ is always keen to create a safety and quality culture for all employees and participants in the city, follow all the materials to be manufactured or imported, as well as coordinate with overlapped parties in the projects to facilitate the work’s progress.