Building Design Services

Vision
To ensure and attain high quality, regulated economically sustainable climate resilient built environment by 2023

Mission
Design, construct, maintain and dispose government buildings in the most cost efficient that will stimulate economic growth, eradicate employment and alleviate poverty.

Objectives

• To establish and maintain an appropriate institutional and legal framework in order to effectively monitor and regulate building construction industry.
• To set standards and guidelines for building construction industry in order to ensure high quality services in the construction and maintenance of government building infrastructure.
• Adhere to climate resilient designs and to the intentions of the disability inclusive and friendly buildings.
• BDS will provide accommodation and property management services in order to be able to take full responsibility of management and planning of all government building stock.

Activities

• Designs and supervise construction of Government building structures for other ministries and their maintenance thereof.
• Provide technical assistance to client ministries while preparing project briefs and budget estimates for submission to Public Sector Investment Committee.
• Reviewing of old Standard building contract and bidding documents which will be adopted by other organisations in the building Industry within the country
• Developing General Specifications and minimum standard of Material specification on building construction Project.
• Design building structures as per client ministry’s brief and once project has been funded; prepare tender documentation for tendering processes and supervision of building construction. Handover buildings structure and associate works to the client ministry when are completed.
• Assess the condition of the existing government stock and determine their state of need for maintenance or disposal
• To monitor work of private consultants engaged to execute government building projects, where there is lack of in-house capacity.
• Governance of construction industry. E.g registration and categorisation of contractors, capacity building of contractors, registration and licensing of the professional bodies.
• To provide experiential training attachment to students following tertiary technical education as a pre-requisite for obtaining relevant certificates.
• Develop plans for routine maintenance and ensure that it is executed as per plan, to manage the depreciation rate throughout the lifespan of Government buildings.
• Support continuous professional development of the Department’s staff

GENERAL INFORMATION TO APPLICANTS

1. All applicants should submit ORIGINAL certificates of the following while collecting the application form.

a. Trader’s Licence,

b. Tax Clearance

c. Company registration (extract)

d. Qualification in any of the build environment disciplines of shareholder or owner

e. E.C registration certificate ( for electrical contractors only)

2. Application forms will be collected during the following months only , January , February, June and July
3. All applicants should submit this application form on or before 31^st March and 30^th September each year.
4. This application form should be submitted by all applicants for categorisation and registration
5. The information in this form when evaluated will determine the category of each applicant
6. It is important that the applicant answers each and every question fully, with supporting documents where required. (all certified copies should not be more than three months old)
7. The applicant must NOTE that he/she shall be called in for interview on some or all responses and these must be verified physically. The applicant may also be requested to provide further evidence in support of responses.
8. The applicants must note that no individual or company shall be allowed to register more than one building construction company with Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
9. The category of each contractor shall be reviewed after every three years.
10. Any contractor may request that his/her category be reviewed within the period stated in (9) above.
11. In the event of change of ownership the new owner shall apply for categorisation and registration.
12. Potential contractors are expected to either have own plant or be able to hire.
13. Evaluation is based on four main sections i.e.

1. IDENTIFICATION
2. FINANCE
3. RESOURCES
4. EXPERIENCE

Revenue (paid yearly)

Thresholds for Building and Electrical Contractors by Categories

BUILDINGS MAINTENANCE SECTION

BACKGROUND

Buildings Maintenance Technician performing maintenance on one of the Government Buildings

The Buildings Maintenance Section has undergone several structural changes and reshuffling. It has been under the then Ministry of Works (before reshuffling and reorganization of government ministries and departments in 2003) as Buildings Branch under a bigger section of Architect. An initial proposal was made far back in 1988 that the unit be upgraded to a section level and be independent from Architect Section. In 1992, the section was allocated a separate programme from that of Architect and was named Buildings Section.  The units under Buildings Section were Buildings Branch and Joinery Workshop.

As the mandate of the section increased after separation with the Architect Section, major developments occurred which included review of the mandate and later a change of name to Buildings Maintenance. It must be noted that both Architect and Buildings Maintenance sections were under the Department of Buildings Design Services (BDS). The mandate of the section is to maintain all government buildings countrywide. The management part of the government housing is under the Ministry of the Public Service which is allocation of houses to public officers.

The section had two main functional areas which were Maintenance of government houses and the Joinery Workshop. The Joinery Workshop was responsible for manufacturing of government furniture and its refurbishment. The workshop was closed down in 2003 due mainly to the fact that there was a changing demand of type of furniture required by the government and the shifting priority and policy of government on empowering the local Basotho producers/manufacturers.

MANDATE

To maintain Government buildings, Residential and Office buildings in all 10 districts. These services include restoring condition of the buildings and repairs where necessary.

OBJECTIVES

• To improve building maintenance service delivery

• To create conducive working and living environment

• To improve support and motivation to staff