Bidding snafus for city icon

LESS THAN a month after Panama was named   the site of Ibero-American Capital of Culture for 2019 the  country’s Cultural Institute (INAC) continues to bumble its way forward to restoring the crumbling, historic  National Theatre (Teatro Nacional)

The building  in Casco  Viejo was closed in June 2015 due to structural deficiencies and lack of maintenance in recent decades.

This led to the hiring of  the Technological University of Panama to undertake a study of the building which produced  a recommendation   for its restoration.

At the beginning of the  week the August 1 tendering ceremony was cancelled because of “imperfections” in the notice calling for bids for the $1.2 million project, including a meeting to answer questions  and concerns from bidders,,  and other   unspecified “minor flaws” according to INAC director Janelle Davidson.

A new meeting was called for FRiday August 5.

Specifications, published in Panamacompras said that the manager of the project will have the task of managing, coordinating, inspecting  and providing  technical assistance in the execution of all work once tendered.

The contract would last 29 months and in determining who would win   aspects such as the technical proposal, price, experience and financial capability of the company would be weighed.

But the specifications said that tenders were to be delivered to INAC on Wednesday  August 10.

The shaken bidders  called for  “additional time” to deliver their proposals. Some asked for up to 20 days to develop and submit their bids.

Following this demand, late on Friday  afternoon  INAC -in an addendum- gave contractors until  Friday  August 19.

On June 13, in the Plenary Assembly of the Union of Latin American Capital Cities, Panama was selected as the next Ibero-American Capital of Culture for 2019.
A goal was set for  the restoration of the Theatre to be fully completed in December 2018.

Meanwhile, Fermina Santamaria, director of the School of History at the University of Panama, stressed that the restoration must comply with all Heritage rules  and save the architectural features of the structure, dating from 1908.

According to Santamaría, this is a project that cannot be delayed longer because it coexists with  the highest artistic expressions of Panama. “It is a work that must be adapted as soon as possible,” he said.