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ACTION COME-00
INFO OCT-01 NEA-10 ISO-00 EB-07 XMB-02 /020 W
--------------------- 052358
R 291705Z SEP 76
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9919
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE RABAT 5260
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: BENC BEXP MO
SUBJECT: NADOR STEEL COMPLEX
REF: (A) STATE 235841, (B) RABAT 4597, (C) RABAT 4120
1. ECONOFF VISITED SONASID TODAY TO OBTAIN ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS RAISED IN PARAS 3 AND 4 REF A. WAS INFORMED
THAT DESPITE EARLIER STATEMENT BY SONASID REP
REPORTED REF C, PREQUALIFICATION EXERCISE FOR GROUP A
(PARTS A-1 TO A-5) HAVE NOT YET BEEN ANNOUNCED. SONASID
OFFICIAL NOTED THAT FIRMS LISTED PARA 2 REF C WERE US
FIRMS REQUESTING PREQUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE NOT RPT
NOT FIRMS WHICH WERE PREQUALIFIED. OF THESE 16 FIRMS
ONLY FIVE IN FACT RETURNED QUESTIONNAIRE AND THEREFORE
BEING CONSIDERED FOR GROUP A PREQUALIFICATION.
2. FOLLOWING ARE US FIRMS WHICH SUBMITTED QUESTIONNAIRE
FOR PARTS OF GROUP A.
A-1 A.G. MCKEE AND CO., US STEEL ENGINEERS AND
CONSULTANTS
A-2 AND 3 MORGAN CONSTRUCTION CO., US STEEL
ENGINEERS AND CONSULTANTS
A-4 DRAVO CORP., H.K. FERGUSON, US STEEL ENGINEERS
AND CONSULTANTS
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A-5 H.K. FERGUSON, US STEEL ENGINEERS AND CONSUL-
TANTS
3. WHEN PREQUALIFICATION DECISION IS MADE ALL FIRMS
PRESELECTED TO BID WILL RECEIVE DOCUMENTS.
4. ALL FIRMS LISTED PARA 2 REF C INCLUDING BROWN AND
ROOT, VULCAN ENGINEERING, PULLAMN SWINDELL AND BLAW-KNOX
WERE SENT PREQUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRES BY REGISTERED
MAIL IN JUNE. ECONOFF SAW LIST REGISTRATION RECEIPT
NUMBERS. FIRMS WHICH DID NOT RETURN THE QUESTIONNAIRE
WILL NOT RPT NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR PREQUALIFICATION.
THIS MEANS THAT BROWN AND ROOT, VULCAN ENGINEERING, PULL-
MAN SWINDELL AND BLAW-KNOX ARE NOT AND WILL NOT BE
PREQUALIFIED SINCE THEY DID NOT SUBMIT QUESTIONNAIRE AND
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS LONG PAST.
5. THERE HAVE BEEN NO DELAYS IN DEADLINES. PRESELECTION
FOR GROUP A SHOULD BE ANNOUNCED WITHIN NEXT FEW WEEKS,
WHILE DEALINE FOR REQUESTING PREQUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRES
FOR GROUP B WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE END OF CURRENT WEEK,
I.E. OCTOBER 2. EIGHTEEN US FIRMS HAVE EXPRESSED
INTEREST IN PARTS OF GROUP B AND SHOULD BE RECEIVING
QUESTIONNAIRES BY REGISTERED MAIL.
6. TIMING AND COMPOSITION GOM VISIT TO DISCUSS EXIM
FINANCING RAISED WITH SONASID OFFICIAL WHO SAID DECISIONS
NOT YET MADE. ADDED THAT FONMIN AND MINCOMM LIKELY
BE BETTER INFORMED THAN SONASID RE INTENTIONS. EMBOFF
THEN DISCUSSED WITH MINCOMM SECGEN (MINISTER PRESENTLY
IN FRANCE DISCUSSION STEEL MILL FINANCING POSSIBILITIES) WHO
CONFIRMED DETAILS US TRIP NOT YET FULLY JELLED. SAID
HOWEVER THAT GROUP WOULD CERTAINLY BE HEADED BY MINISTER,
POSSIBLY MINFIN DURING RETURN FROM MANILA BANK/FUND
MEETINGS, AND THAT HE (SECGEN) WOULD BE BACK IN TOUCH,
PROBABLY WITHIN COUPLE OF WEEKS.
7. FYI. IN ADVISING FIRMS ON THIS PROJECT, IT SHOULD BE
BORNE IN MIND THAT ALTERNATIVE METHODS TO MEET DESIRED
OUTPUT SPECIFICATIONS FOR THIS PROJECT SHOULD NOT BE
IGNORED. IF A FIRM CAN PRODUCE A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT OR
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A PLANT WHICH WILL MEET OUTPUT SPECS BUT WHICH EMBODIES
A MORE EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY, IT SHOULD NOT HESITATE TO
BID. CONCERNING DEALINES, IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT
SONASID WILL CONSIDER A FIRM'S TELEX REQUEST FOR
DEALINE EXTENSION IF DOCUMENTS WILL FOLLOW IN A REASONABLE
TIME (A WEEK OR SO).
ANDERSON
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