UAE firm scoops Afghan Defense University contract

expat network

UAE firm scoops Afghan Defense University contract

MVL has secured the contract for Phase 3 of the Afghan Defense University.

The UAE-based defence contractor will be the second firm to take on this phase of the project, following an unsuccessful initial attempt by a rival outfit.

Phase 3 of the university build has been valued at approximately $80m, and is expected to take around 600 days to complete.

“The purpose of the Afghan Defense University is to educate future generations of Afghan military officers,” explained MVL’s business development manager, John Hilker, who spearheaded the contractor’s proposal.

“A mixture of accommodation and administration buildings comprise the facility that we are going to be constructing; more than 100 buildings in total.

“I think that MVL’s proposal stood out because of our experience working on job sites that have had issues previously; restarted projects. This is a project that another outfit had tried to start, but failed. With the previous attempt, I think that the contractor overextended itself and had difficulties related to the challenges of working in Afghanistan,” he told CW..

MVL concedes that it too will have to overcome significant challenges during the course of the project, but is confident that it has an effective strategy when it comes to both workforce and operational partnerships.

“The Afghan Defense University is a large contract with an aggressive schedule. At peak times, we expect to have more than 2,000 people working on the job site,” revealed Hilker.

Abie Musa, managing director of MVL, added: “Our approach to previous contracts played a deciding role in the award of this project. From our side, the formula that we will use in executing this project will be very similar to that used during other projects, both in terms of how we handle ourselves and our approach to subcontractors. In large part, this will include rewarding the subcontractors that have worked well with us on previous projects, as opposed to punishing them by not letting them participate.”

MVL expects to begin work on Phase 3 of the Afghan Defense University within the next two weeks. The project is scheduled to complete by the first quarter of 2017.

Source: Construction Week online

Link: http://tinyurl.com/psas7g4

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.