The Community Access and Urban Services Enhancement II (CAUSE II) Project Management Unit (PMU) today brought together Solomon Islands contractors for an important consultation on their participation in the Inclusive Contract Repackaging Strategy for Asphalt Concrete (AC) Roads.
The meeting hosted at the Iron Bottom Sound Hotel conference room highlighted a new approach designed to broaden local participation in road works by segmenting major contracts into smaller, manageable scopes. This will allow national contractors to bid for labor-intensive components such as earthworks, drainage, and pedestrian infrastructure, while larger and more specialized firms handle complex technical works like base course preparation and asphalt sealing.
CAUSE II is bringing 25 large contracts to market. With this new strategy, the project will apply repackaging to the 9 programmed roads—transforming what might have been only 9 tenders into three to four times that number. By multiplying opportunities, the strategy makes contracts more accessible to smaller contractors while still maintaining pace and quality.
A recent survey of 40 contractors revealed strong readiness among local firms for small-scale projects but limited capacity to manage medium and large AC road packages. By restructuring contract scopes, CAUSE II is responding directly to this reality, creating opportunities for smaller firms to grow while ensuring quality and timely delivery of resilient roads.
In attendance at the consultation were potential small and large contractors, Director of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development’s (MID’s) Transport Infrastructure Management Services Division, Ishmael Alulu, representatives from the Solomon Islands Infrastructure Program (SIIP), Strongim Bisnis, and Business Link Pacific. Their presence underscored the collective commitment to strengthening local capacity and linking contractors with essential support services.
Speaking on behalf of small contractors, one participant welcomed the new approach: “This strategy really gives us a fair chance to compete. It matches our current capacities, allows us to learn and grow, and ensures we can play a meaningful role in building the nation’s roads.”
Discussions also focused on the broader support ecosystem needed for long-term success, including training, business advisory services, and transparent procurement processes. Contractors expressed appreciation for the strategy and the chance to participate in projects that will directly benefit Solomon Islander communities.
By aligning infrastructure investment with inclusive economic participation, CAUSE II is ensuring that development is shared more equitably. The consultation represents a step forward in empowering local enterprises, creating jobs, and building the foundations for resilient, sustainable urban growth across the Solomon Islands.
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𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘜𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘐𝘐 (𝘊𝘈𝘜𝘚𝘌 𝘐𝘐) 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦-𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴. 𝘓𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭, 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘶𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭, 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘢, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘞𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘊𝘈𝘜𝘚𝘌 𝘐𝘐 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘱𝘶𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘜𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘔𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪-𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥 (𝘗𝘗𝘐𝘜𝘍).
Source: Ministry of Infrastructure Development
