Submission of qualification documents for the government’s biggest public-private partnership (PPP) project—the P171-billion North-South Railway Project (NSRP)—has been moved back so interested companies can have more time to prepare their requirements, said the Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).
In General Bid Bulletin No. 08-2016, DOTC undersecretary for operations and PPP implementation Edwin Lopez said the new submission date is April 15 from the previous March 31 to “give prospective bidders sufficient time to prepare their qualification documents.”
Lopez, who also chairs the Pre-qualification, Bids and Awards Committee, added that the revised submission date is linked to the issuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin No. 07-2016, which answers the queries of prospective bidders on several topics such as joint venture requirements, authentication of documents, and conflicts of interest.
The groups that have purchased prequalification documents for the project are San Miguel Holdings Corporation, Metro Pacific Investment Corporation, AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, IL&FS Transport Networks Limited, and Fluor Daniel Pacific Inc.
The winning bidder will design, construct, install, commission, finance, operate, and maintain the existing commuter rail line from Tutuban, Manila to Calamba City, Laguna. It is expected to do the same for the 478-kilometer long-haul rail operations from Tutuban to Legazpi City, with the possibility of extending the spur lines by 58 kilometers from Calamba City to Batangas City, and by 117 kilometers from Legazpi City to Matnog, Sorsogon.
The PPP project is part of government efforts to promote inclusive growth by reviving and extending the existing Philippine National Railways line. The project, a priority under the 2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan, also supports the modernization and expansion of the local mass transportation network and aim to improve efficiency of land transportation in Metro Manila.
Additionally, the NSRP is one of the 13 PPP projects that are exempted from the ban on spending public funds and carrying out construction of public works during the election season.
Aside from this project, DOTC has also recalled the submission date for the pre-qualification bids for the Light Rail Transit Line 6 project and the filing of bids for the LRT Line 2 project and the development project involving five regional airports, as well as delayed the opening of bids for the Davao-Sasa Port modernization project.
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