Construction company Glavbolgarstroi AD and the consortium Strabag Sports Hall are the only two firms interested in bidding for the general contract for the erection of the new multi sports hall in Sofia. So far Glavbolgarstroi (GBS) have tabled an offer of 107 624 009 leva excluding VAT, whereas Strabag are counter-offering with 111 713 135 leva, Stroitelvstvo Gradut has reported.

Both companies' offers include a comprehensive package deal that incorporates the various different phases of construction of the modern sports facility.

The facility itself will have to accommodate basketball, volleyball, handball, gymnastics, as well as forums, concerts and other social events. Within the total cost of construction are included 10 per cent of unforeseen costs, as well as the profit of the contractors themselves.

The site, a total of 63 240 sq m in area is on IV km, belonging to the Defence Ministry, near CSKA's sports complex. However, the site has been allocated to the National Agency for Youth and Sports (NAYS) since spring 2009. It is NAYS that subsequently formulated and declared the tender for which both companies are currently competing.

Within the parameters established by NAYS, the scheme envisages the construction of a multifunctional sports hall with capacity for more than 9000 people that would be open to future expansion. The sports hall must be accountable to all European Union standards as it is built to host both domestic and international sporting events.

Chief engineer for the GBS concept is Zheko Tilev, with chief project manager Mihail Tsankov. The Glavbolgarstroi deal claims that construction will be executed in full inside 23 months and 20 days, with the capacity of the hall reaching 12 395, with it being liable for expansion up to 16 000. The design incorporates a large indoors and outdoors car park with capacity for 1150 cars, said engineer and deputy executive director of GBS, Petko Petkov, as quoted by Stroitestvo Gradut.

Reportedly, the GBS concept has accumulated 42.2 points, and is currently well in the lead, with Strabag's design trailing behind with 28.73 points.