IN THE article, 'Contractors' 'suicide bids': a gamble for survival' (ST, July , it was reported that contractors submitted very low bids in order to maintain their registration status in the Building and Construction Authority's Contractors' Registry (CRS), among other things.
BCA requires contractors to have the requisite track record before they are allowed to renew their CRS grades because it is essential to ensure that the experience and expertise are still with a company.
However, BCA recognises that with the drop in the volume of construction work in recent years, some construction companies would find it difficult to have the required track record to maintain their registration status.
We have therefore lengthened the period for acquiring the requisite track record, from three to five years, and also allowed ongoing contracts to be included. This was announced last October.
With the relaxation of the registry requirement, there would be sufficient volume of work for most, if not all, contractors to renew their registration grades.
For all the registered companies which require a track record to renew their grades this year, their required volume of work (which may be drawn from contracts awarded from 1998 to 2004) has to add up to $15.5 billion.
In this period, the contracts awarded in Singapore totalled $99.7 billion, which is more than six times the required track record. It does not include overseas contracts, which can also be considered.
BCA will continue to monitor the market and adjust the CRS requirements, if necessary.
JEANNA DAS (MS) Corporate Communications Department for Chief Executive Officer Building and Construction Authority
, it was reported that contractors submitted very low bids in order to maintain their registration status in the Building and Construction Authority's Contractors' Registry (CRS), among other things.