10 companies and consortia vying over National Theatre’s 51m-euro modernisation

Ten companies and consortia are vying for the contract for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Bucharest National Theatre (TNB) worth more than 51 million euros without including VAT, the biggest civil engineering project started by the state this year.

With the economic crisis in full swing, the Government wants to build a national theatre to resemble the Barbican Hall in London, instead of allocating money for the rehabilitation of the water supply networks and of infrastructure. In addition, the dwindling real estate investments have made construction companies shift focus to public investments where competition is much fiercer than in the past years.

The contenders in this race are some of the biggest construction companies, with total business in excess of 700 million euros, such as Bog'Art (Raul Doicescu), ACMS (Tanasoiu family), Rotary Constructii (Mihai Leonard Rotaru), Aedificia Carpati (Petre Badea), Dafora (Gheorghe Calburean) and UTI Instal (Tiberiu Urdareanu), Comnord (Sorin Creteanu) and foreign companies like Sedesa (Spain), Alpine (Austria), Strabag (Austria).

The bids were opened on the 9th of February instead of the deadline set for 25th of February, after receiving more than 20 requests from the companies interested. The Ministry of Culture will most likely announce the winner in April after the period allotted for contenders to challenge the result has ended.