THE GOVERNMENT said 21 companies expressed interest in its auction for the contract to build the Malolos-Clark segment of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project, also called the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 2.
In a statement on Sunday, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) said 21 companies from seven member countries of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) attended the project’s pre-bid conference in Pasig City last Thursday, Mar. 7.
“Attended by 21 companies from 7 ADB-member countries and representatives from 4 embassies, the Pre-Bid Conference provided a venue for interested bidders to seek clarifications on the bidding documents launched last Jan. 30,” it said.
The 53-kilometer Malolos-Clark segment of the NSCR project is funded by a $2.75-billion loan from ADB, hence the need to follow its procurement policy which requires bidders to come from ADB member countries. It aims to connect Manila to the Clark International Airport in less than an hour.
The contract for auction consists of three packages, covering the engineering works for approximately 44.8 kilometers of railway viaduct, bridges and a total of five elevated stations.
The DoTr said it is also bidding out more railway contracts soon, two of which are funded by the ADB and one by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
“Two more ADB-financed Civil Works Contract Packages will be launched by 2nd Quarter 2019, while the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-financed Electromechanical Systems and Rolling Stock (trains) Contract Packages will be launched soon after,” it said.
The Malolos-Clark railway is part of the P777.55-billion NSCR project. The other segments are the 56-kilometer line from Calamba, Laguna to Tutuban, Manila; and the 38-kilometer portion from Tutuban to Malolos, or PNR Phase 1.
Japanese firm Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd. won the contract for the Tutuban-Malolos line last year, which broke ground last month. — Denise A. Valdez
