POST RESPONSE: U.S.-BAHRAIN FTA GOVERNMENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000370 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/ARP AND EB/TPP/MTA/MST ADILWORTH DEPT PASS USTR JASON BUNTIN, AND JEAN GRIER USDOC FOR JLIUZZI AND SPIETAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD PREL BA SUBJECT: POST RESPONSE: U.S.-BAHRAIN FTA GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT REF: STATE 52560 -------------- Post-proposed additions to the GOB's list of government entities that may be of interest to U.S. suppliers -------------- ¶1. Post believes that the following should be ADDED to the list of government entities that conduct procurements that may be of interest to U.S. suppliers: --Royal Court --Prime Minister's Court --Crown Prince's Court The following have independent budgets and so should also be included: --Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) --Civil Service Bureau --National Audit Court --Directorate of Legal Affairs --Bahrain Customs and Ports Directorate --Bahrain Stock Exchange --Cultural and National Heritage Directorate --Tourism and Marketing Directorate --Publications Directorate --Housing Bank --Bahrain Monetary Agency --Bahrain Stock Exchange --University of Bahrain --Bahrain Training Institute --Bahrain Center for Studies & Research --Bahrain International Circuit --Supreme Council for Women --Specific Councils --Supreme Council for Profession Training --Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance Entities covered by the Tenders Law all have the potential to conduct significant procurements that could be of interest to U.S. suppliers. -------------- State Owned Enterprises -------------- ¶2. State owned enterprises (SOEs) in which the government has a greater than 50 percent ownership and that conduct procurements that could be of interest to U.S. suppliers: --Bahrain National Gas Company (Banagas): 75 percent state ownership (SO) --Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco): 100 percent SO --Aluminium Bahrain (ALBA): 77 percent SO (NOTE: A recently-signed MOU with ALCOA would give ALCOA a 26 percent stake in ALBA, leaving the GOB with a 51 percent stake. Please discuss inclusion of ALBA in the Agreement with ALCOA. END NOTE). --Bahrain Development Bank: 100 percent SO --Bahrain Flour Mills (BFM): 65.73 percent SO --Bahrain Monetary Agency (NOTE: This is Bahrain's Central Bank. END NOTE) --Bahrain Stock Exchange --Mina Salman and Hidd Ports (Customs and Ports Directorate, Ministry of Finance, but managed by a private company): 100 percent SO ¶3. The following entreprises identified as SOEs reftel do not meet the 50 percent state ownership (SO) threshold: --Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill Company (GARMCO): 25.47 percent SO --Bahrain Aluminium Extrusion Company (BALEXCO): 15.76 percent SO --Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (ASRY): 18.84 percent SO --Gulf Air (co-owned by Bahrain, Oman and Abu Dhabi): GOB owns 33 percent --Bahrain Telecommunications Company (BATELCO): 29.6 percent SO --Bahrain International Airport: 16.5 percent SO ¶4. No Commercial Registration records were found for the following: --Gulf Aluminium Industries (joint venture between Bahrain and Italy) --Bahrain Atomisers International --Bahrain-Saudi Aluminium Marketing Company (BALCO) ¶5. The following enterprises listed as SOEs reftel are not SOEs: --Al Ayam (The Days) (Pro-King newspaper, but not SO) --Akhbar al Khalij (Gulf News) (Pro-Government, but not SO) --Gulf Daily News (English-language newspaper) (Pro-Government, but not SO) --Bahrain ABC Islamic Bank FORD