The Manitoba government has issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) seeking teams interested in designing, building, financing and maintaining nine new schools in a significant step of its commitment to building the nine schools through a public-private partnership (P3) model, Consumer Protection and Government Services Minister James Teitsma announced today.
“Addressing the growing enrolment needs in our communities requires significant investment, and we remain committed to delivering the best possible outcome for Manitobans,” said Teitsma. “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 Oct. 4.
The MSP consists of six kindergarten to Grade 8 schools, one kindergarten to Grade 12 school and two grade 9-12 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 Manitoba government aims 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 minister noted.
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. Through the collaborative P3 model, the Manitoba government will leverage the expertise of private-sector partners to minimize and share risk factors while expediting the construction of all nine schools, delivering better schools, faster than can be done under traditional models, the minister added.
“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.”
The MSP represents a substantial commitment to education, enabling students, child-care centres and communities to access modern spaces conducive to learning and growth, the minister said.
For more information on the RFQ and MSP, visit https://www.manitoba.ca/schoolsproject/.
– 30 –
For more information:
- Public information, contact Manitoba Government Inquiry: 1-866-626-4862 or 204-945-3744.
- Media requests for general information, contact Communications and Engagement: newsroom@gov.mb.ca.
- Media requests for ministerial comment, contact Communications and Stakeholder Relations: 204-451-7109.