DEVB invites market to submit expressions of interest for Central Procurement Scheme for Steel Reinforcement
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As the Chief Executive announced in the 2025 Policy Address, the DEVB will conduct central procurement on a trial basis this year, piloting the procurement of commonly used materials including steel reinforcement and Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) modules, with a view to saving cost.
A DEVB spokesman said that the Government commissioned a consultancy study on the central procurement arrangements, with the section on steel reinforcement already completed. Following a preliminary market sounding, the Government plans to adopt a framework contract and enter into three-year agreements with multiple qualified steel reinforcement suppliers. The engaged suppliers will be eligible to bid for the orders under the framework contract under the three-year contract period.
Under the current plan, the total procurement quantity for the Scheme is approximately 300 000 tonnes, mainly for public works projects under various works departments. According to the current estimates, this quantity is expected to meet the demand for steel reinforcement of about 20 projects scheduled to commence within the next two years. To cover the expenditure of this central procurement exercise, the Government will set aside funds within the Approved Project Estimate for each participating project, based on the required quantity of steel reinforcement for individual projects.
The spokesman said, "Individual works departments have adopted direct procurement for commonly used materials under their projects, achieving cost savings. Building on this successful experience, the Government aims to go a step further by implementing a central procurement scheme for steel reinforcement. This marks the first time the Government will consolidate the total demand across multiple projects from various user departments, leveraging the advantages of central procurement and a more cost-effective strategy for procuring major construction materials. The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) has been commissioned to implement the Scheme for steel reinforcement."
The spokesman added that adopting a framework procurement model and signing framework contracts with multiple eligible suppliers will allow these suppliers to prepare for future biddings on individual procurement batches, while providing sufficient flexibility. In cases where supply from an individual supplier becomes unstable, other contracted suppliers can supply the materials directly under the mechanism. This obviates the need for re-tendering, thereby reducing the risk of project delays.
The supplier qualifications and specific requirements for the framework contract are set out in the EOI document. The Government welcomes the industry to submit EOIs and provide suggestions for the Scheme. The feedback collected will assist the Government in refining the details of the tender documents, including the total quantity and the number of suppliers to be engaged under the Scheme. The DEVB has commissioned the CEDD to commence preparations for an open tender, aiming to launch the tender around mid-2026 and commence the Scheme by the third quarter.
The EOI document has been uploaded to the DEVB website (www.devb.gov.hk/en/issues_in_focus/index.html). Interested parties must submit their EOIs by placing them in the designated drop-in box of the DEVB, located at 2/F Entrance, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong, no later than noon on May 12 (Tuesday).
The DEVB will hold a briefing session on the EOI invitation on April 22 (Wednesday). For details of the briefing, please refer to the EOI invitation brochure.
Furthermore, the relevant consultancy study on the central procurement scheme for MiC modules is almost completed, with an invitation for EOI expected by mid-year.
Ends/Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:00
Issued at HKT 15:00
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