8 firms set sights on P1.3-B LRT2 maintenance contract

MANILA, Philippines - Eight companies have expressed interest in bidding for the P1.33-billion three-year contract to maintain the Light Rail Transit line 2 (LRT2).

Hernando Cabrera, spokesperson of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), said companies that have expressed interest in the project were construction giant DM Consunji Inc., Marubeni Corp. of Japan, Autre Porte Technique Global Inc., Global Epcom Services Inc., Busan Transportation Corp. of Korea, Comm Builders & Technology Phils. Corp., Telefonika Inc. as well as the tandem of Multi-Scan Corp. and Hyundai Rotem Corp. of Korea.

Cabrera said the LRTA has given interested bidders until July 25 to submit their bids for the maintenance of LRT2.

He pointed out that the LRT2 is currently being maintained by the TSPA consortium consisting of Telefonika, STIV, Pacific, and APT Global.

The agency said the bidding for the three-year contract is limited to Filipino citizens, sole proprietorship, partnerships or organizations with at least 60-percent interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

The government would adopt an open competitive bidding procedure using non-discretionary “pass or fail” criterion as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 9184 also known as the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Likewise, bidders are required to submit a bid security consisting of P26.62 million if in the form of cash, cashier’s or manager’s check, bank draft or guarantee or irrevocable letter of credit or P66.55 million if bid security is in surety bond.

The agency stated in the documents that a bidder must have successfully been involved in the maintenance of a system similar to the LRT2 system for a total of 15 years during the immediately preceding 20 years.

Likewise, a prospective bidder must have completed, within the last 10 years from date of bid submission, at least a single contract that is similar to equivalent to at least 50 percent of the approved budget for contract.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) earlier gave a Korean consortium the green light to undertake the consulting and engineering services for the civil works of the P9.7-billion LRT2 east extension project.