In brief
- UNON, for UN-Habitat Somalia, issued an expression-of-interest notice with a 16 December 2024 deadline for about 30 housing units at the Gribble IDP relocation site in Bosaso.
- The notice describes units of about 39 square metres, each with two rooms, a shaded verandah, a latrine and shower, and a water tank.
- Some units were to carry disability-inclusion elements such as ramps, handrails and an accessible latrine or bathroom, but the notice is not a tender and does not record any award or built unit.
Contents
UN Global Marketplace published an expression-of-interest notice on 16 December 2024 in which the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), acting for UN-Habitat Somalia, sought qualified vendors for an upcoming tender to build about 30 housing units in Bosaso, Puntland. The site named is the Gribble IDP Relocation Site. The deadline given was 16 December 2024, 23:59 GMT-4.
What the source records
The notice covers construction of approximately 30 permanent low-cost housing units for families with members with disabilities and for large families, according to UN Global Marketplace. Each unit was to have two rooms, a covered shaded verandah, a latrine and shower, a water tank, tree planting, and about 39 square metres of footprint. Listed civil works run from site clearance and foundations through floors, walls, roofing, plastering, doors and windows. Some units were to include disability-inclusion elements: ramps, handrails and an accessible latrine or bathroom. Sanitary and plumbing works and neighbourhood block drainage for the 30 units were also in scope.
What it means on site
For a contractor, this is a repeat-unit job, so the cost sits in how the first unit is set out and how the rest follow it. Ask for the bill of quantities and drawings when the full solicitation is issued, and check the drainage lines against the levels shown for the block rather than each plot alone. Tree planting and water tanks add items that need a supply plan. Confirm accessibility details with the engineer before ordering fittings, because the notice lists ramps and handrails without dimensions.
What the source does not establish
This is an expression of interest, not an invitation to tender. The notice states that complete requirements would be issued to bidders after the EOI closed, and that UNON may change or cancel the requirement at any time. Whether contracts were awarded, whether any unit was built, and the present condition of the Gribble site are not recorded in this source. The as-of date is 16 December 2024. A contract award notice or site record would confirm the current state.
What to do next
Ask UN-Habitat Somalia's Puntland office for the award notice or contract record covering the Gribble housing units, and ask whether the solicitation was ever issued. Contractors can register on UN Global Marketplace to receive future notices for the same site.
Frequently asked questions
Is this notice a tender I can still bid on?
No. It is an expression of interest with a 16 December 2024 deadline. The notice states that full tender documents would go only to vendors judged eligible after the EOI closed.
How big are the units?
The notice describes each unit as about 39 square metres with two rooms, a covered verandah, a latrine and shower, and a water tank.
Sources
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Bosaso and Puntland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.