WELLINGTON Shire Council is hopeful local contractors will be used to build the Port of Sale Cultural Hub.
Council has awarded the project to the Melbourne-based company Melbcon, which also has the tender to build the new Sale Specialist School.
The cultural hub will bring together the Sale Library, Gippsland Art Gallery, Wellington Visitor Information Centre and council chambers, while a café will also be established there.
The tender and evaluation process was conducted over several weeks, with a focus on areas such as tenderers’ capacities to deliver the project and include local supplier and sub-contractor content, while achieving best value for money.
Council encouraged tenderers to include local content in their submissions through inviting local businesses and suppliers to register their interest in being involved in delivery of the project.
The details of more than 60 local businesses were provided to all tenderers, who included local subcontractor services in their submissions.
Melbcon has demonstrated a willingness to work with local subcontractors through inclusion of quotes from local businesses in its tender submission.
Construction of the cultural hub is scheduled to begin in the next month, with completion expected late next year.
Of the $11.275 million council allocated for the project, $4.75 million came from the state government, $4.5 million coming from the federal government and $1.5 million from the John Leslie Foundation, with the remainder contributed by council.
