RFQ issued for Manitoba schools

The Manitoba government has issued a request for qualifications seeking companies interested in designing, building, financing and maintaining nine new schools using a public-private partnership (P3) model.

“Addressing the growing enrolment needs in our communities requires significant investment, and we remain committed to delivering the best possible outcome for Manitobans,” said James Teitsma, the province’s Consumer Protection and Government Services Minister. “The modern design-build-finance-maintain model has proven successful, and this P3 approach will enable us to fulfil our 20-school commitment, along with three additional schools, two years ahead of schedule.”

With the purpose of identifying highly qualified and capable private-sector proponents, the RFQ invites interested parties to submit responses, expressing their interest and qualifications for the Manitoba Schools Project (MSP). This stage aims to short-list up to three submissions, which will then proceed to the request for proposals (RFP) stage. The RFQ will close on October 4.

The MSP consists of six kindergarten-to-Grade 8 schools, one kindergarten-to-Grade 12 school, and two Grade 9-to-12 schools distributed across seven school divisions, all publicly owned and operated by the respective divisions.

By bundling these services under a single contract with a reliable private partner, the province says it is aiming to achieve continuity, operational efficiencies and risk transfer throughout the lifecycle of each school building, such as has been done successfully in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The need for partnerships in the MSP is more critical than ever as Manitoba navigates post-pandemic challenges and grapples with supply chain issues and inflationary pressures, Teitsma noted.

“We recognize the significance of these new school buildings in shaping the learning environments for our students,” said Teitsma. “Our focus is to ensure that the process remains inclusive, allowing for ample input from each school division and adhering to the highest public school standards, ensuring state-of-the-art facilities.”

More information about the RFQ and MSP is available at https://www.manitoba.ca/schoolsproject/.

www.gov.mb.ca