Damage Assessment and Preparation of Tender Documents for the Structural Rehabilitation of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) Building, Tal Al-Hawa, Gaza City

The Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) operates a building in the Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City that sustained structural damage impacting its integrity and safe continued use. As the extent and severity of the damage to the primary structural system had not been formally established, PMRS required an independent, technically rigorous assessment to determine the building’s structural safety, the viability of repair versus demolition, and the scope of works needed to restore the facility to operational use.

Building on its earlier engagement with PMRS for the design and tendering of the Society’s Rehabilitation Services Building (2023–2024), CEP was again retained to conduct a comprehensive condition assessment of the Tal Al-Hawa building and to prepare the technical studies and tender documentation required to carry out the necessary structural rehabilitation works.

CEP’s assignment was structured to move from field observation to a fully documented, tender-ready rehabilitation package, with each stage building on the evidence gathered in the one before it:

• A specialized engineering team carried out a field survey of the building to produce a preliminary damage assessment report.
• CEP reviewed and built upon prior structural surveys of the building and supplemented them with a targeted program of additional testing to establish a quantified, evidence-based picture of structural safety. This included core sampling from columns and slabs, in-situ rebound (Schmidt) hammer testing across primary structural elements, and deflection measurement of critical members.
• The field and laboratory findings were consolidated into a detailed engineering report presenting the condition of the building and the nature, extent, and likely causes of the observed damage, together with reasoned, defensible recommendations distinguishing elements requiring demolition from those suitable for repair, strengthening, or routine maintenance.
• CEP prepared a complete tender package for the required rehabilitation works, covering demolition, temporary shoring, structural repair or strengthening, and electrical and mechanical systems. The package comprised design drawings, bills of quantities, and technical specifications sufficient to support a transparent and competitive contractor selection process.
• A detailed cost estimate for the rehabilitation works was developed and benchmarked against prevailing local market prices for construction materials, giving PMRS a realistic basis for budgeting and donor reporting.
• CEP’s scope extends through the tendering stage, including responding to prospective contractors’ technical queries during bid clarification, up to contractor selection.