US to expand Abu Dhabi air base

The US has stepped up plans to expand its military presence in the Gulf outside Saudi Arabia.

In a statement posted on a federal business opportunities website, the US army announced plans to spend up to $25m (£15m) expanding its air base in the Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabi.

It comes a week after the army said it was considering plans for a $100m expansion of its air base in Qatar.

Last month the US said it was pulling its troops out of Saudi Arabia and moving its regional air command centre from there to Al Udeid air base in Qatar.

Range of facilities

Before the war against Iraq, the US had about 5,000 troops stationed in Saudi Arabia and a further 5,000 in Qatar.

In the statement, the US Army Corps of Engineers invited contractors to express interest in a contract to build a range of facilities at Al Dhafra air base in Abu Dhabi.

These would include, but not be limited to, a headquarters facility, dormitories, dining facilities, gym and medical facilities, utilities, roads and parking, it said.

The cost of the project was estimated at between $10m and $25m.

Non-US surcharge

The US Army Corps of Engineers has been come in for criticism recently for awarding an Iraq reconstruction contract to a company formerly headed by US Vice President Dick Cheney, without inviting other firms to bid.

It has said the contract with Kellogg Brown & Root, a unit of Halliburton, is a "bridge" to a longer term contract for oilfield services that would be put out to competitive tender in the summer.

There has also been criticism that non-US firms have not been permitted to bid for the Iraq reconstruction contracts tendered so far.

The solicitation for the proposed Abu Dhabi contract said non-US contractors would be permitted to bid, as long as they were not partly or wholly owned by, or affiliated with, the UAE Government.

But it said any bids from non-US firms would be evaluated by adding 20% to the price proposal.

A tentative date of 16 June has been set for formal inviting of bids, with 30 July set as the tentative bid deadline.