On March 5 the Ministry of National Defence announced a private partner selection for building three military sites and providing public services in Šiauliai city, and Šilalė and Vilnius regions. The projects will be implemented by Public-Private Partnership method (Follow the link: https://cvpp.eviesiejipirkimai.lt/Notice/Details/2019-695437)
The complex and long-term project of the Ministry of National Defence begins a completely new stage of development of Lithuanian Armed Forces infrastructure. It is a strategic MoD project which will result in a totally new military infrastructure for three battalion-sized units of the Lithuanian Armed Forces over the next several years.
Negotiations with potential investor(s) are planned to take place in 2019-2020, and the one or more partnership contracts are planned to be signed in late 2020.
The invitation to tender will seek to attract not only the strongest Lithuanian enterprises but also real estate developers and investors from abroad.
In total, the value of direct investment into all three projects may amount to roughly EUR 126 million.
The partnership contracts will be signed for the period of 15 years, until 2035; roughly two years and a half will be allowed for developing infrastructure, and the investors will have it under their supervision for the remaining roughly 12.5 years.
Private entities will be investing their own financial resources as part of the PPP projects into the infrastructure generated for the state for military functions and will take on the risks arising from construction works and operation of the new infrastructure. Duke Margiris Infantry Battalion of the Motorised Infantry Brigade Griffin will be based in the town of Šiauliai, Pajūris town of Šilalė district will host Brigadier General Motiejus Pečiulionis Artillery Battalion of MIB Griffin, and one of the present Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf battalions will be based in Rokantiškės village in Vilnius district. All the three military facilities will have barracks, canteens, welfare, medical, equipment maintenance facilities, and other services a military infrastructure requires. The three bases will accommodate approximately 3 thousand soldiers.
It was decided to implement the new military infrastructure development projects through PPP in order to avail not only of the capacity of private sector to execute several large-scale projects at the same time, but also with regard to the fact that the National Defence System required large investment over the next 2-3 years.
The infrastructure development projects are intended to facilitate private partners’ sharing of professional expertise and management skills, innovative approach, better efficiency and productivity in the development of infrastructure of the planned scope.
The new military infrastructure is developed as a priority activity on the Government of the Republic of Lithuania Programme for the National Defence System aimed at developing the Lithuanian Armed Forces – increasing Lithuania’s combat capabilities, ensuring physical infrastructure for permanently deploying the increased combat capabilities of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
The Ministry of Defence has presented the procurement documents of the projects for potential investors at two conferences-public consultations.
All information concerning the PP projects implemented by the Ministry of National Defence is available via the official MoD website at https://kam.lt/en/defence_ppp.html and the Central Project Management Agency PI website at www.ppplietuva.lt
Related image, credit: Sgt Spc Ieva Budzeikaitė