 The auction was organised by the Ministry of Colonies , which sent five officers to Senegal for evaluation . After examining each one these offers the Faidherbe Bridge Committee selected two of them , from Nouguier , Kessler et Cie , and from Société de Construction de Levallois @-@ Perret ( owned by Gustave Eiffel ) . The Faidherbe Bridge Committee and the technical committee in Paris agreed that the Société de Construction de Levallois @-@ Perret project was the best for the site . On the other hand , the president of the public works in Senegal and councilman Jean @-@ Jacques Crespin supported the Nouguier , Kessler et Cie project . In the end the contract was awarded to Nouguier , Kessler et Cie at a price of 1 @.@ 88 million gold francs . 
