Multi-national engineering company AMEC has been awarded a consultancy contract to prepare a national strategy to determine the direction of solid waste management in the Cayman Islands for the next 50 years.

AMEC will also prepare an outline business case (OBC) and provide procurement support for an integrated solid waste management system (ISWMS) project that will be based on the strategy.

A successful bid, through the Central Tenders Committee, of just over CI$500,000, secured AMEC’s services as the solid waste management consultant to lead the team responsible for this consultancy. This figure includes the cost of financial consultant KPMG, which partnered with AMEC to act in this capacity.

Technical Director of AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited, Phil Scott, says his team is delighted to have this opportunity and looks forward to starting the project.

Kris Beighton, Partner KPMG Cayman, indicated that he is proud that KPMG, together with its partner AMEC, are able to assist the Ministry on this strategic engagement in creating a financially feasible and sustainable plan to enhance the environmental health of our community.

Emphasising the importance of the planned solid waste management system to the country’s long term environmental health, Health Minister, Hon. Osbourne Bodden, noted: “It is precisely for this reason that we took great pains to ensure that the process would be well governed from start to finish. With the selection of these consultants, through a competitive Central Tenders Committee bid process, I believe that we will meet our goals in a timely and efficient way.”

Environmental investigations and a risk assessment of existing facilities must precede the development of a strategy, which in turn will provide the basis for the procurement of a waste management system for all three islands.

The Health Ministry published a request for proposals (RFP) for a consultant in early June 2014. A month prior, the steering committee for the project made public the strategic outline case that it had developed.

AMEC provides comprehensive solid waste management services around the world. Its team includes specialists in: planning, environmental science, engineering, geology, hydrogeology, chemistry, biology, environmental management, economics and social development.

Similar recent projects include a 2012 contract with the North London Waste Authority to deliver a state-of-the-art new waste services infrastructure for North London.

Chief Officer of the Health Ministry Jennifer Ahearn, who heads the project steering committee, says: “AMEC has operations in 40 countries and extensive experience in waste management planning. Since their bid was chosen we have been in continuous communication with them. With their assistance, I believe we can retain a strong sense of direction as we work to improve our solid waste system.”

Ms Ahearn thanks her fellow committee members, including representatives from key stakeholder agencies, for their support and assistance in reaching this stage.

The Public Works Department recently hired senior project manager Jim Schubert to oversee the delivery of the project for Government.

The next steps will be a working visit to the Cayman Islands by the consultant’s team, and the development of a timetable of public meetings which will ensure the public has input into the national strategy.

Interested persons can find copies of the Strategic Outline Case and the RFP documents online at www.ministryofhealth.gov.ky.

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