URA

OPERATING REVIEW 29 Rehabilitation Rehabilitation is the URA’s other core business under the URS. The URA is now the primary agent in Hong Kong for building rehabilitation after taking over the HKHS’ responsibilities under the Integrated Building Maintenance Assistance Scheme (IBMAS) in July 2015. In 2017/18, the URA continued its rehabilitation efforts through IBMAS, as well as through Operation Building Bright (OBB), the Mandatory Building Inspection Subsidy Scheme (MBISS), and the ‘Smart Tender’ Building Rehabilitation Facilitating Services Scheme. Operation Building Bright The URA has given full support to the Government’s OBB 1.0 programme since it began in 2009. By the end of 2017/18, 2,440 building blocks comprising around 62,000 units within the URA’s Rehabilitation Scheme Areas (RSAs) had either been rehabilitated or had rehabilitation works substantially completed. OBB 1.0 has raised owners’ awareness of the need for rehabilitation as well as created employment oppor tunities, which was one of the original objectives of the scheme. Through conscientious efforts and collaboration with the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and HKHS, guidelines and procedures have also been published and implemented to tighten requirements for service providers in the building renovation industry so as to mitigate malpractices and promote public education. In addition, a new tendering arrangement for procurement of works contractors was introduced to provide a f air and competitive tender ing environment. Since the introduc tion of these guidelines and procedures, and the new tendering arrangement, the average number of tender returns and the proportion of submitted tendering costs falling within our independent consultants’ estimates