The Jockey Club CPS Limited (JCCPS) provided an update on the selection of operators for the Central Police Station Revitalisation Project today, as follows:
Three responses to the three-month Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Heritage and Contemporary Art operator were received upon the deadline for submission at 2:15 pm, 30 April 2014 and one submission was received after the deadline.
The response received after the deadline was late and therefore ineligible. Two of the responses received before the deadline were also ineligible because the respondents did not meet the two eligibility requirements which were, first, to form a special purpose company upon the RFP deadline, and second, that such company should have either obtained the tax exemption approval as a charitable institution or have already applied to the Inland Revenue Department for such tax exemption upon the RFP deadline.
JCCPS confirmed the ineligibility of these responses based on the recommendation made by the Selection Committee comprising 19 individuals representing broad community interests. The recommendation was further supported by independent legal advice.
JCCPS thanked all respondents for their efforts, and expressed regrets that the ineligible responses could not be further considered in order to maintain the integrity and fairness of the selection process.
The remaining response to the RFP was eligible. Under the assessment process, the Selection Committee will proceed to invite the respondent to an interview with a view to assessing its submitted proposal in detail. Based on the suitability of the respondent, the Selection Committee will make a recommendation to the JCCPS in the third quarter of this year.
Meanwhile, approximately 100 proposals from 72 responses to the RFP for the 10 food and beverage outlets were received upon the deadline for submission at 2:15 pm, 30 April 2014, and are under assessment by a separate selection committee formed by independent members and experts from The Hong Kong Jockey Club. Nine responses to the RFP for the integrated cultural and leisure operation at the Central Magistracy building were received, of which five were shortlisted to enter the final proposal stage.
RFPs for non-government organisations and retail operators will be available at the next phase of the invitation process.
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About the Central Police Station Revitalisation Project
A partnership between The Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Hong Kong SAR Government, the Central Police Station Revitalisation Project is an important initiative to conserve and revitalise the heritage site comprising the former Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison for adaptive reuse. The Project includes the conservation of 16 buildings of historical or architectural significance and several open spaces on the 3.37-acre site. To support activities on the revitalised site, an international renowned firm of architects, Herzog & de Meuron, has been engaged to design two new buildings. These new buildings will provide additional floor space for contemporary art programmes and plant rooms, and will help to reduce interventions to the heritage buildings. The site is expected to be open to the public in 2016, following the scheduled completion of revitalisation works in 2015, and fitting out and licensing arrangements by the operators. Project website: www.centralpolicestation.org.hk
