MTI, MHCA working together to get tenders flowing, work done
The Chair and senior MHCA Board representatives met with Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk, his deputy and assistant deputy ministers August 8.
The meeting was arranged given concern about the slower pace of tendering this year. MTI has had real challenges this year due to the volume of rain and the subsequent flooding that occurred.
Each committed to working together to see highways, structures and water-infrastructure projects tendered and awarded ensuring full roll out of the $500 million 2022 program.
As part of the commitment, MTI posted an updated tender ad schedule.
The new ad schedule indicates about a dozen highways construction projects are yet to be tendered this year, and a similar number of structures projects.
The schedule also includes a number of projects scheduled to be tendered in 2023.
MTI and the MHCA agreed to meet at the end of the 2022 construction season in a postmortem session to review annual program performance, project scheduling and tendering strategies and related areas for better mutual understanding and potential improvement.
The department noted that having a three-year budget plan approved – which the MHCA has long sought and applauds – has aided in the goal to put tenders out earlier, and the plan is to work to presenting 5-year budgets.
Further, a working group has been established to look at how to efficiently present the tender ad schedule and work for future years.
“This was a productive meeting and we’re encouraged by the Minister and department support for the intended directions and outcomes,” MHCA President Chris Lorenc said.
