Housing Bureau Invites Tenders for Light Public Housing Management Contract in Tuen Mun

Tender for third operation and management contract of Light Public Housing invited

​The Housing Bureau (HB) today (October 18) invites tenders for the third operation and management contract of Light Public Housing (LPH), and encourages capable and experienced organisations to participate actively.

The project is located at Tsing Fuk Lane, Tuen Mun (i.e. Tuen Mun Area 3A), providing about 1 900 units, with intake tentatively scheduled in the fourth quarter of next year. Same as the previous two contracts, the scope of operation and management services mainly cover occupant management, property management, daily maintenance, as well as the provision of social services, and the management and operation of ancillary facilities, etc. To encourage participation of different stakeholders in the community, the HB welcomes tenders from all capable and experienced service providers, including non-government organisations and those with a valid property management company licence, or a collaboration between them.

To ensure service quality, the HB will carry out a technical assessment based on a series of factors, including management capability, relevant experience and past service performance of the organisations, as well as the proposed modes of operation and management, social service support to be provided, feasibility of an exit plan and use of innovation and information technology as stated in their proposals, etc such that the facilities and services of LPH can meet the needs of the residents and the local community. The tender price will then be evaluated to form a consolidated assessment to decide on the most suitable organisation for operating LPH.

A spokesman for the HB said, "LPH could fill the short-term gap of public housing supply, and improve the living conditions and quality of life of people living in inadequate housing as soon as practicable. Construction of a number of projects has already commenced. The first LPH project located at Yau Pok Road, Yuen Long, which provides about 2 100 units, will be completed with tenant intake in the first quarter of next year. Its operation and management contract has been awarded to the Pioneer Management Limited - Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Joint Venture. The second operation and management contract of LPH, which covers the two LPH projects at Choi Hing Road and Choi Shek Lane, Ngau Tau Kok (i.e. the former St Joseph's Anglo-Chinese School), which provide about 2 290 and 148 units respectively, is expected to be awarded soon. Their tenant intake is anticipated in the second quarter of next year and the first quarter of 2026 respectively. We hope that experienced and aspirational organisations can continue to actively participate in the tender exercise and join hands with us in this large-scale social project."

Interested organisations may download the tender documents via the relevant tender notice on the HB's website (www.hb.gov.hk) or from the e-Tendering System; or contact the Dedicated Team on Light Public Housing under the HB for obtaining the tender documents. The Tender Reference is HB2024/OPR-LPH-TFL.

Tenderers must submit the tenders by noon on December 6, 2024 (Friday), either electronically via the e-Tendering System or by deposit in the Government Secretariat Tender Box situated at Lobby of the Public Entrance on Ground Floor, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar. Late tenders will not be accepted.

Waste Disposal (Amendment) Bill 2024 gazetted today

The Waste Disposal (Amendment) Bill 2024 (Amendment Bill) was published in the Gazette today (October 18), for implementing the relevant amendments to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Basel Convention) on the control of transboundary movements of electrical and electronic waste (EEW) and their proper management in Hong Kong.

A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau indicated that the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention adopted the amendments to the Basel Convention in June 2022. The amendments, which will take effect from January 1, 2025, expand the control scope of the Basel Convention from hazardous EEW to all EEW. From then, the export of all EEW may only be allowed if the state of import and state(s) of transit, if any, have given their prior consent. The objective is to ensure EEW undergoing transboundary movement is properly managed in the state of import, thereby protecting the local environment and public health.

The spokesman said, "The amendments to the Basel Convention will enter into force in our country on January 1, 2025, and apply to Hong Kong. Therefore, we shall amend the Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap. 354) (WDO) to expand the scope of import and export control to cover all EEW under the permit control system, with a view to aligning with national policy and complying with the requirements under the Basel Convention alongside with our country."

To facilitate the trade to adapt to the new control, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has been actively explaining the implementation details and providing suitable assistance to the trade. Subject to the passage of the Amendment Bill by the Legislative Council (LegCo), a six-month phasing-in period will be put in place once the amendments to the WDO become effective. During the phasing-in period, the EPD will exercise discretion when it handles non-compliance matters. At the same time, the EPD will continue to facilitate trade compliance through further publicity and educational efforts.

The Amendment Bill will be introduced into the LegCo for first and second readings on October 30. The Government will fully complement the work of the LegCo in scrutinising the bill, and hope that the LegCo will support and approve the Amendment Bill. Subject to its passage, the relevant legislative amendments will take effect on January 1, 2025, to align with the effective date of the amendments to the Basel Convention which will be the same date when the country implements the requirement.