Province seeking communication services for tar ponds cleanup

Information must be in by Jan. 23
Cape Breton Post
Monday, Jan. 12, 2004

Nova Scotia Transport and Public Works department is searching for new communications services for future work at the Sydney tar ponds and coke ovens sites.

Parker Donham, spokesperson for the provincial Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, said expressions of interest now advertised will replace work formerly done by the project management consulting firm Conestoga Rovers & Associates. The contract with the firm has since expired.

Donham said the provincial department is looking for companies with the capacity to provide numerous communication services such as web design, web hosting and ad creation.

More specifics about services required will be available once the provincial and federal governments agree to a new cost-share agreement for the remediation of the toxic sites.

Donham said the present cost-share agreement, valued at nearly $72 million, expires March 31. That means all money for contracts must be committed by that time and carried out by 2005.

Those interested have until Friday, Jan. 23 to submit their information.

A retendering for engineering consulting services for ambient air monitoring at the sites and evaluation of the remediation project has also been issued. The environmental firm AMEC presently has the contract and will likely reapply, said Donham. Proposals will be accepted until Thursday Feb. 12.

tcmacdonald@cbpost.com