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The Water Services Corporation (“WSC”) has launched a major public procurement procedure for the design, construction, commissioning and transfer of a new reverse osmosis plant at Għar Lapsi, with an estimated procurement value of €35 million excluding VAT. The call for tenders, WSC/T/064/2026, was published on 11 August 2026.
The project involves the construction of a new “Plant B” within the existing Għar Lapsi reverse osmosis facility. The new seawater reverse osmosis plant will have a production capacity of 30,000 cubic metres of potable water per day, delivered through six independent reverse osmosis systems. Importantly, the existing plant must remain operational throughout construction and commissioning. The tender envisages an overall contract duration of 150 weeks, with the first three systems to be commissioned within 125 weeks and the remaining three within a further 25 weeks.
The investment forms part of a broader programme aimed at strengthening Malta’s water-production infrastructure. According to the Project Description Statement accompanying the procurement documentation, the wider programme seeks to increase Malta’s freshwater production capacity by approximately 81,000 cubic metres per day, with the Għar Lapsi project contributing 30,000 cubic metres of that additional capacity. The project is intended to respond to increasing demand associated with population growth, agriculture and economic activity, as well as the effects of climate change, including higher temperatures and reduced rainfall.
The procurement is being conducted as an open procedure under Directive 2014/25/EU, applicable to procurement by entities operating in the utilities sectors, and is stated to be fully or partly financed through EU funds. The contract is not divided into lots, with WSC explaining that the integrated nature of the project requires responsibility for its design and implementation to rest with a single contractor.
Prospective bidders should pay particular attention to the procurement timetable. A first clarification meeting and site visit is scheduled for 28 August 2026, followed by a second clarification meeting on 9 September 2026. Requests for additional information must be submitted by 17 September 2026, while the deadline for submission of tenders is 16 October 2026 at 09:30.
Economic operators considering participation should review the selection requirements, contractual risk allocation and technical specifications carefully, including the rules applicable where a bidder intends to rely upon the capacity of other entities.
Our firm specialises in Maltese public procurement law and regularly advises economic operators at both pre-procurement and tender stages. We can assist interested parties in structuring responses to this consultation and positioning themselves strategically for future procurement opportunities arising from this project.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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