The Millennium Challenge Account Moldova (MCA Moldova) received six bids for the rehabilitation of the Chircani-Zirnesti irrigation system with Compact funds, ranging from $12 to $21 million. The competing construction companies are from Spain, France, Germany and Romania, IPN reports.

The Chircani – Zirnesti irrigation system (Cahul district) is on the Prut River and covers about 4 500 hectares of land farmed by over 1 600 farmers. According to a communiqué from MCA Moldova, the rehabilitation of this system includes the reconstruction of the premises of pump stations, installation of electro-mechanical equipment, installation of new water intakes and control structures and other works.

The bids will be reviewed in the upcoming weeks by a team of national and international experts selected through competition. The execution of the rehabilitation contract is expected to start in June, 2014, while the works are expected to be completed by July 2015, along with the Compact implementation.

MCA Moldova has signed contracts for the rehabilitation of nine irrigation systems (six on the Nistru River and three on the Prut River) amounting to about $66 million. The Chircani –Zirnesti system is the tenth irrigation system that will be rehabilitated with the Compact funds.