The processing of documents for four tenders bidding to construct the National Football Academy, officially opened yesterday at the Jamaica Football Federation’s (JFF) headquarters, with FIFA developmental officer for the region, Harold Taylor, overseeing the process.

Taylor oversaw the opening of the four tendered documents, with president of the JFF Crenston Boxhill; general secretary, Burchell Gibson and the federation’s four-member consultancy team.

The GOAL Project chairman is Carvel Stewart, a Civil Engineer by profession and the Civil/Structural Engineer on JFF’s consultative team.

The team is completed by Christopher Shaw, Quantity Surveyor Michael Robinson & Associates and Electrical/Mechanical Engineers Omni Services Ltd.

The first phase of the FIFA Goal Project on lands situated at Munro College, should commence on August 2, and completed by January 31, 2007.

Quantity surveyor Michael Robinson, also a consultant to JFF, said all four tenders will now be processed with advisement made.

“We will be going through the tender documents to ensure that the documents are consistent, that all the prices are in keeping with current prices and reflects a fair, reasonable and bona fide tender,” said Robinson at the end of yesterday’s hastily called press briefing, which lasted for less than 15 minutes.

“Then when we are done, we will do a tender report, checking on the material cost and make a recommendation which will ensure that the project can be billed for the price, which it is stated at,” added Robinson.

Within a week, a report from the Boxhill-led federation will be out for the recommended contractor.

Construction on the first phase, is likely to include the administrative suite, residential blocks, instructional/lecture areas and the welfare facilities.

According to Robinson, the four locally-based contractors bidding for the Goal Project, “are the best we can find” at the moment in the country.

However, the work experience of the bidders involved will play a great role in them being handed the task.

“We take into consideration the technical ability of the contractor… we look at how many jobs the contractor has finished in the past on time. That is of vital importance. And time is of the essence in this project,” noted the JFF consultant.

Meantime, Taylor, who arrived in the country yesterday, stated that he was pleased with the brief proceedings.

“As far as I am concerned, everything was very well done, and I am quiet satisfied with the procedure and the process,” Taylor said.

In March of this year, FIFA, football’s world governing body, approved some US$400,000 for the long-awaited Goal Project.

When completed, the National Football Academy should be able to house 48 people at once, the Observer understands.