Tenders Shortlisted for Northern Link
08 December, 2009
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman today announced a short list of three tenderers to bid for the right to build and operate the 5km Northern Link tunnel, from Toowong to Kelvin Grove.
The short listed bid teams of Northern Direct, Transcity and the Leighton Baulderstone Razel Joint Venture (LBRJV) have until May 2010 to complete detailed and fully costed bids from which Council would chose a ‘preferred bidder’ to build the tunnel.
The Lord Mayor said the short listed teams came from an international market sounding of prospective bidders conducted by Council’s professional staff during the global financial crisis.
Cr Newman said he was excited by the diversity offered across the short listed teams.
“We have bid teams comprising of representatives from France, Spain, Italy, the UK, USA and Germany, coupled with leading Australian companies responsible for delivering major infrastructure both locally and abroad,” he said.
“They are an excellent group that will bring the benefit of a wide range of experience, specialist expertise and innovation to this project to help us to deliver the best outcomes for Brisbane.”
The EOI respondents were evaluated on a number of key criteria, including capacity and experience on large scale projects; financial capacity to deliver the project; and experience and expertise across design, construction, operations and maintenance on major tunnelling projects.
The Lord Mayor said Northern Link, from the Western Freeway to the Inner City Bypass, was on track for construction to start two years ahead of schedule, in 2010 instead of 2012.
“We are working hard to get this tunnel open in 2014, rather than its scheduled opening date of 2016,” Cr Newman said.
“In addition to easing traffic congestion in Brisbane it is anticipated that this project will also provide 5000 jobs and provide $10.5 billion in economic benefits to Brisbane.”
Northern Link is the fourth project in the TransApex system of roads bridges and tunnels that will form an inner city ring road around Brisbane’s CBD. Others include the Go Between Bridge (South Brisbane to Milton); the CLEM7 tunnel (Woolloongabba to Bowen Hills); the Airport Link tunnel (Toombul to Bowen Hills) and the East-West Link (Buranda to Toowong).
Information on bid teams
• Northern Direct brings together international tunnel design and construction smarts and integrates the complementary global skills, cultures and strong local performance of Bouygues Travaux Publics SA, Laing O’Rourke and Transfield Services.
• Transcity blends international tunnel construction expertise with the skills, knowledge, resources and supply-chain of local construction experience with Acciona, Ghella and BMD.
• LBRJV’s well integrated team – featuring Leighton Contractors Pty Limited, Baulderstone Pty Ltd and Razel – comprises local expertise with European tunnelling construction technology and experience alongside a proven track record in delivery.
[Ends] December 7, 2009
