Works Minister Robert Morgan says local contractors will be involved in the Shared Prosperity Through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) programme.

During a meeting with stakeholders of the programme at the ministry this week, Mr Morgan gave the assurance that local contractors are integral to the project.

He asserted that claims that they are being sidelined in favour of overseas contractors are unequivocally false.

According to the works, the government values and relies on the essential involvement of local contractors for the successful execution of the SPARK project.

Mr Morgan added that government remains committed to fostering local expertise while benefiting from international collaboration.

He stated that the procurement process for the four packages under the spark project adheres to the International Competitive Bid (ICB) framework.

The pre-qualification stage has been completed with the next stage being bid-proposal and pre-qualified contractors will be invited to submit their tenders.

He noted that international contractors participating in this process are mandated to have local partners, aligning with global best practices.

The minister outlined the roles of the local contractors, noting that they would be required to assist in competitive bid proposal preparation; provide logistics support for sourcing materials, labour, and equipment; and facilitate set-up and mobilization for efficient project execution.

He explained that most local partners will be engaged through subcontracting arrangements with international contractors, which are factored into bid pricing.

Mr Morgan noted that upon acceptance of bid proposals, international contractors will include the agreements with local subcontractors in their detailed work plans, thereby maintaining the quality and integrity of the programme.