DEADLINE: 26TH JULY, 2024
UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT (UNIPORT)
REQUEST FOR THE EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FOR THE LEASE, MANAGEMENT, AND OPERATION OF ULTRA-MODERN FIVE STAR HOTEL COMPLEX AT THE UNIVERSITY PARK

In furtherance of our advertorials in our guardian and daily trust newspapers of 23rd May, 2024 and in compliance with the ICRC Act 2005, the University of Port Harcourt wishes to inform interested firms that could not submit their EOI on the above subject matter to do so within the period allowed in his publication as follows:

1. INTRODUCTION
The University of Port Harcourt, a highly ranked university was established in 1975 and is one of the second generation universities in Nigeria. With a population of over 35,000 students and robust staff strength, the university operates in three (3) closely knitted campuses, set in a serene and hospitable community with neighboring university of porthacourt teaching hospital. The hotel complex in the main campus is accessible within Ten (10) minutes’ drive from the Port Harcourt International Airport, omagwa.

2. THE HOTEL FACILITY
The five star hotel complex is located within the premises of the CBN Centre of excellence in economics and management, a full-fledged “state of the art” academic and research facility, designed for local and international conferences,. Workshops and training sessions. Facilities available in the hotel complex include;
a) 182Nos. guest rooms (all en-suite), out of which twenty-four (24) rooms are suites.
b) The ground floor has a kitchen, restaurant, coffee bar, laundry, shops and offices as well as conveniences.
c) Ancillary facilities- these are facilities though not existing within the hotel building are in close proximity to it and can be exploited. They are:

I. RECREATION BUILDING
This building has facilities for relaxation and indoor games. These include a gymnasium, indoor sports hall, snooker, squash court etc.

II. FACILITY BUILDING:
This is the operational center. Facilities available include:

  • Drivers office
  • Close circuit television (CCTV) monitoring unit. The unit has four (4) giant monitors capable of monitoring everywhere in the complex.
  • Water pumping house
  • Water treatment plant
  • Sewage treatment plant
  • Power generators/plant house. Three (3Nos.) generators – 1 No. 9000KVA and 2 No. 800KVA are installed and synchronized in a manner that the three generators can come on at the same time depending on the load usage.
  • Transformers yard housing 5 No. transformers, with the biggest being 2.5MVA, that transmits power to four (4) other transformers of lower capacities, each dedicated to a building within the project.

III. EXTERNAL WORKS/GENERAL

  • 1No. lifts (very large, can accommodate up to 12 persons at a time) in the hotel building.
  • Car parking lots.
  • External light fittings
  • The hotel building and every other building are fitted with sprinkler system and other firefighting equipment such as fire pillars, fire cabinets, and fire alarm and smoke detector systems.
  • Underground diesel storage tank (40,000 liters capacity).
  • 2 No. gate houses with driveways. (1 No. for the hotel building )

IV. SITE OFFICE/ACCOMMODATION
The site office accommodation put up by the main contractor which was used for operations of the construction site has 15Nos. offices, 1Nos. conference room, 2No. Toilets, 2Nos. kitchens, 14nos. residential suites, dining/eating points, toilets and a store.

Note however that;

  • The use of the ancillary facilities is dependent on the needs of the hotel and the requirements of the manager /operator and subject to negotiation with UNIPORT.
  • The successful manager/operator may wish to construct a swimming pool to enhance the recreational needs of the hotel, subject to agreement.

3. INVITATION
In furtherance of the above therefore, the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) hereby invites suitable, reputable, experienced and competent hospitality management firms/consortia to make submission of expression of interest (EOI) for prequalification to be engaged as manager/operator of the ultra-modern hotel complex under a lease agreement.

4. SCOPE OF SERVICE
The services to be provided include, but are not limited to the following:
i. Operation, direction, management and supervision of the hotel including without limitation, the determination of credit policies, terms of admittance, charges of rooms, food and beverages policies, employees’ wages benefits and severance policies, entertainment and amusement policies, licensing and granting of commercial space at the hotel and all phases of advertisement promotion and publicity relating to the hotel.
ii. Management and operation of the hotel and all its facilities and activities in a manner consistent with the international standard practices and the memorandum of agreement (MoA).
iii. Provide sufficient capital; to operate the hotel in good standing and in accordance with the budgets.
iv. Advise UNIPORT concerning policies and procedures affecting the conduct of business at the hotel.
v. Develop and implement advertising, marketing, promotion, publicity and other similar programmes for the hotel.
vi. Recruit, train, direct, supervise, employ, and dismiss anyone or all the personnel employed for the operation of the hotel.
vii. Cause the hotel to comply with all applicable laws, ordnances, regulations, rulings, and orders of regulatory authorities.
viii. Carry out all needed repairs and maintenance of the hotel with prior notice to UNIPORT.
ix. Provide such other services and obligations as may be required under the terms of the MOA and as are necessary for the day-to-day operation, management and supervision of the hotel.
x. Employ modem and acceptable accounting standards in the operations of the hotel.

5. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Interested firms/consortia should submit the following prequalification documents:
i. Evidence of certificate of Incorporation issued by Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) including Form 1.1 or CAC2 and CAC7.
ii. Evidence of Company’s Income Tax Clearance Certificate for the Last three (3) years valid till 31st December, 2023.
iii. Evidence of pension Compliance Certificate valid till 31st December,2023 (this requirement is only applicable to bidders whose number of staffs is 15 and above);
iv. Registration with Nigeria tourism development commission (NTDL) is mandatory.
v. Evidence of Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Compliance Certificate Valid till 31st December, 2023(this requirement is only applicable to bidders whose number of staff is 5 and above or the bidder’s annual turnover is N50m and above);
vi. Evidence of Nigerian social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Clearance Certificate Valid till 31st December 2023;
vii. Evidence of company’s Registration on the National Database of Federal Contractors, Consultants and Service Providers by submission of Interim Registration Report (IRR) expiring on 31/12/2023 or valid Certificate issued by BPP;
viii. Sworn Affidavit:

  • Disclosing whether or not any officer of the relevant committees of the University of Port Harcourt, or the Bureau of Public Procurement is a former or present Director, Shareholder or has any pecuniary interest in the bidder and to confirm that all information presented in its bid are true and correct in all particulars;
  • That none of the company’s Director has been convicted in any country for any criminal offence relating to fraud of financial impropriety or criminal misinterpretation or falsification of facts relating to any matter;
  • That the company is not in receivership, bankrupt, or insolvent.
  • Company’s Audited Accounts for the last three (3) years -2021,2022,2023, in accordance with international financial reporting standards (IFRS)

ix. Evidence of adequate capital to operate the hotel, if engaged.
x. Reference letter from a reputable commercial bank in Nigeria, indicating willingness to provide credit facility for the execution of the project when needed;
xi. Company’s profile with the Curriculum Vitae of key Staff to be deployed for the project, including copies of their Academic/ Professional Qualifications.
xii. Evidence of management operation of hotels of similar status.
 Verifiable documentary evidence of at least three (3) similar jobs executed in the last five (5) years including letters of awards, valuation/job completion certificate and photographs of the hotels managed or operated.
xiii. Evidence of firm’s member (s) being certified by the Nigerian institute of management, association for project managers group (APMG), project management institute (pmi) or similar institutes.
xiv. For joint Venture/ Partnership, evidence of letter of association or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) should be provided (CAC, Tax Clearance Certificate, Pension Clearance Certificate, ITF Compliance Certificate, NSITF Clearance Certificate, IRR & Sworn Affidavit are compulsory for each JV partner).
xv. All documents for submission must be transmitted with a covering/ forwarding letter under the company/consortia’s letterhead paper bearing amongst others, at the top of the page, the registration number (RC) as issued by the corporate affairs commission (CAC), TIN No., contact address, telephone number (preferably GSM No) and email address. The letterhead paper must bear the names and nationalities of the directors of the company at the bottom of the page duly signed by the authorized officer of the firm/consortia.

6. METHOD OF SUBMISSION
Prospective bidders are to submit one (1) original copy and four (4) photocopies of the expression of interest documents and should be neatly packed in the listed order above in separate sealed envelopes for each copy and marked expression of interest for lessee/manager/operator for the UNIPORT HOTEL at the top right-hand corner of the envelope. Thereafter, the sealed envelopes should be put together in a bigger envelope and addressed to: the registrar, university of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt. Furthermore, the reverse side of each sealed envelope should bear the name and address of the bidder and dropped in the bid box at the lobby of the vice chancellors office on 3rd floor, Senate Building, University of Port Harcourt, not later than 12:00 noon, on Friday, July 26, 2024.

7. OPENING OF EOI DOCUMENTS
The EOI documents shall be opened immediately after the deadline for submission at 12:00 noon, on Friday, July 26, 2024 at the senate chamber, senate building, university park, university of port Harcourt, choba, rivers state, in the presence of the bidders or their or representatives. Please ensure that you sign the expression of interest (EOI) documents submission register as the university will not be held liable for misplaced or wrongly submitted expression of interest (EOI) documents. All enquiries should be directed to: the vice chancellor, university of Port Harcourt, port Harcourt.

8. GENERAL INFORMATION
a. Expression of interest (EOI) must be in English Language and signed by an official authorized by the bidder;
b. Expression of interest EOI submitted after the deadline for submission would be returned un-opened;
c. Only the pre-qualified bidders will be invited at a later date for a request of proposal (RFP) submission.
d. All costs incurred as a result of response to this invitation and any subsequent request of response to this invitation and any subsequent request for information shall be borne by the responding firm/company.
e. The University of Port Harcourt is not bound to pre-qualify any bidder and reserves the right to annul the procurement process at any time without incurring any liabilities in accordance with section 28 of the public procurement act, 2007.
f. FIRMS THAT HAD EARLIER RESPONDED TO THE SAID ADVERTS OF 23RD MAY, 2024 NEED NOT RESPOND TO THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED:
REGISTRAR

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