Eight consortia have bought the updated documents for the tender for operating the Red Line in the Tel Aviv light rail project. Bidders must submit their bids by 23 March, 2017. The winning consortium will be able to accompany the construction of the Red Line over four years, which should assist it in operating the line smoothly from day one.
The tender terms were changed following requests by foreign bidders not to hold more than 50% of the consortium that operates the line. These requests were due to, among other things, the fact that operating the line involves close and continuing contact with Israeli passengers which requires local employees as drivers, station staff, customer relations personnel, cleaners, security guards and so on.
The change in the tender followed consultation with the Antitrust Commissioner, who allowed Israeli public transport operators to participate in the tender as consortium leaders, in partnership with foreign rail companies. Among the firms that have expressed interest in the tender are Israeli bus company Egged, together with Chinese firms CCEC and Shenzhen Metro; the other major Israeli bus company Dan, together with SNCF of France; Kavim, a third Israeli bus company, together with Transport for London; and a partnership of German rail company Deutsche Bahn and Israeli firm Keystone Engineering.
Systra wins metro planning tender
French company Systra is the winner of the NTA tender for planning three metro lines in the greater Tel Aviv area, with a budget of NIS 30 million. The company, which was founded in 1957 and employs about 5,400 people, has planned and constructed metro lines in France, the UK, Denmark, Mexico, China, Dubai, and the US. There were three biders in the tender.
The tender was published three months ago following government approval of a proposal by the Ministry of Transport to build three metro lines. Three lines will be planned along what are described as "demand corridors": a line from Kfar Sava and Ra'anana to Rishon LeZion, Lod and Rehovot via Tel Aviv; an eastern line from Rosh Ha'ayin via south Petah Tikva and Ramat Gan to Tel Aviv; and a semicircular line connecting all the metro and light rail lines, enabling passengers to transfer between them.
Systra will be charged with determining the optimal routes for the proposed lines, in accordance with demographic, urban, environmental and social considerations, and it will submit detailed recommendations within eighteen months.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 22, 2017
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