₱35 Billion Highways - 3rd Public-Private Partnership Projects (PPP) ready for bidding

Luzon Expressway (SLEX) photo: Wikipedia

MANILA, Nov 6 -- Three groups vying to undertake the 47-kilometer Cavite-Laguna Expressway Project has passed documentary prequalification evaluation by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

This will be the third PPP Expressway Project of the DPWH bid out under the Aquino Administration, with the Daang Hari-SLEX Link Project scheduled for completion by June 2014 while NAIA Expressway Project is under detailed engineering design stage following the signing of concession agreement last July 8, 2013.

Secretary of Public Works and Highways Rogelio L. Singson said that based on evaluation of the Technical Working Group (TWG) for CALA Expressway Project on the submitted prequalification documents last October 23, 2013, Team "Orion,"  MPCALA Holdings, Inc., and Optimal Infrastructure Development, Inc. are qualified to bid for the CALA Expressway Project while another group, MTD Capital Bhd has yet to meet the needed documents on its construction and design experience requirements.

The DPWH Special Bids and Awards Committee for Public-Private Partnership Projects has given MTD Capital Bhd three days to submit the documents for the construction experience requirement and, qualifications and experience required for their design manager.

The Malaysia-based investment holding company failed to provide acceptable documents of affiliation for contractor MTD Construction Sdn Bhd owned by MTD ACPI Engineering Bhd and stated as a subsidiary of MTD Capital Bhd which may be use to meet the construction experience requirement. Another declared affiliate company Contractor MTD Construction Philippines Inc. also lack the acceptable signed document.

Team Orion backed by Ayala Corporation and composed of the consortium of AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, Aboitiz Land, Inc., Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Limited together with nominated contractors Obsrascon Huarte Lain, S.A., Bouygues Traveux Publics, and Cavite Ideal International Construction Development Corporation have qualified to bid for the project including the operation and maintenance contractors Egis Road Expressway Corporation, Korea Expressway Corporation and OHL Concesiones, S.L.

To be allowed to submit bid for the project, this consortium needs to submit the notarized and authenticated documents provided in the submitted Annex QD-12 (Certificate relating to Notarization and Authentication of Documents) on or before 30 days before the bid proposals submission date.

MPCALA Holdings, Inc. together with their project civil works contractor Leighton Contractors (ASIA) Limited have qualified to bid for the project but two other nominated contractors, D.M. Consunji Inc. and EEI Corporation, have not qualified for failure to meet the construction experience requirements for expressway, viaduct, flyover or bridge of at least P10 Billion in total value.

With financing by the Metro Pacific Investment Corporation, MPCALA Holdings' affiliate Tollways Management Corporation also fulfilled the operation and maintenance experience requirement for the project while another affiliate Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) was not considered as it is supported by a certification of ongoing project from MNTC itself and not from the project owner, which in this case, was determined by the TWG to be the Toll Regulatory Board.

Optimal Infrastructure Development, Inc. together with construction contractor Hyundai Development Company and operation and maintenance contractor Skyway O&M Corporation have qualified to bid for the project while another civil work contractor GS Engineering & Construction did not meet the ISO Certification requirement. San Miguel Corporation will provide the financial requirement for this consortium.

With prequalification of interested firms already completed, Secretary Singson said pre-bid conference is scheduled on November 19 followed by two sets of one-on-one meeting with pre-qualified companies on November 25-29 and December 9-13 prior to bid submission for the ₱35 Billion worth expressway project set on January 20, 2014.

CALA Expressway Project which will be a four lane expressway that starts at CAVITEx in Kawit, Cavite (km -0.518) and ends at Mamplasan interchange of South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) in Biñan, Laguna (km 46+500) will have a concession period 35 years including design and construction of four years. (DPWH) – (Philippine Information Agency)