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Facts of unreasonable increase of construction costs in the design of educational institutions within the framework of the national project "Comfortable School" have been revealed.

This was found out by specialists of Samruk-Kazyna Construction during the inspection of design and estimate documentation of comfortable schools before passing the state expertise. This was stated by Chairman of the Board Maulen Aimanbetov at the meeting with contractors and design organisations of comfortable schools on November 1. Within the framework of EPC-contracts concluded with the leaders of consortia, the design and construction documents of comfort schools are reviewed and agreed with the customer represented by Samruk-Kazyna Construction before uploading to the portal of RSE "Gosexpertiza".

For example, some design organisations have included in the design plans the costs of connecting external engineering networks (sewerage, water supply, heating, FOCL, etc.) worth hundreds of billions of tenge, although these works should be carried out at the expense of local executive bodies. Government Decree No. 963 on the implementation of the national project stipulates that the MIO ensures connection to the central/autonomous engineering and communication infrastructure, or payment of such costs incurred by a contractor organisation determined by the Directorate, the cost of which was previously agreed between the Directorate and the MIO.

There are also facts of artificial overestimation of the estimated cost of goods and services, while the design of comfortable schools should be guided by the resource estimate and normative base (RSNB) and architectural, urban planning, construction catalogue (AGCC), which are formed in JSC "KazNIISA".

In his address to the leaders of consortiums and design organisations, the Chairman emphasised that all processes, from school design to equipment and commissioning should be conducted within the framework of legislation and construction standards, without pitfalls.

"Due to errors in the calculations of design organisations, builders will not be able to start construction and installation works of schools for 300, 600 and 900 seats. I urge you to show professionalism and follow a constructive approach. A comfortable school should be an example of modern construction industry. Therefore, I ask you to treat its realisation with great responsibility. Costs will be monitored. If there is overestimation, we will make downward adjustments at any stage. Excessive volumes will not be paid, you will be responsible for every tiyn", - warned the Chairman of the Board.

Head of Samruk-Kazyna Construction Maulen Aimanbetov warned project organisations about administrative and criminal liability. In particular, Article 189 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Misappropriation or embezzlement of entrusted property" may be applied.

Comfortable schools should be commissioned in a turnkey manner. Consortia consisting of construction and design organisations design, build and equip educational institutions. The leaders of consortia are construction companies.

As a result of the meeting, the head of Samruk-Kazyna Construction gave a number of instructions to consortium leaders and project organisations within the consortium:

• to prevent cases of overestimation of the estimated cost, and to carry out design works in accordance with the order and norms;
• provide a letter of guarantee on responsibility for inefficient, uneconomical design solutions and overestimation of the estimated cost;
• bring the master plan of school construction in compliance with the normative requirements;
• exclude unreasonably inflated volumes of construction and installation works, materials and equipment exceeding the estimated standard base for all sections of the design and estimate documentation;
• the estimated cost should correspond to the resource estimate and normative base and architectural, urban planning and construction catalogue;
• bring the scope of work with estimates in compliance with construction norms and cost estimates by 3 November 2023.

In case of overestimation of the scope of works after receipt of the state expertise conclusion Samruk-Kazyna Construction reserves the right at any stage to adjust the construction cost downwards by engaging an independent audit.