DOTC may postpone submission of qualification documents for rail project

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) may move the date for the submission of qualification documents for the P171-billion South Line of the North South Railway public private partnership (PPP) deal amid requests from firms.

“I think many firms are requesting for an extension…The DOTC is deliberating so they’d probably come out with a notice,” Public Private Partnership (PPP) Center executive director Cosette Canilao told reporters. ?Many local firms have expressed interest in the project but only Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and San Miguel Corp. have purchased bid documents so far. 

Canilao said firms from Spain and India have also expressed interest to participate in the project.

Under the Instructions to Prospective Bidders (ITPB) released by the DOTC in August, the submission of the qualification documents for the project is on October 15 this year.

The North South Railway Project (NSRP) - South Line is the biggest project under the PPP program to date.

The project will involve the construction, rehabilitation, extension, operation and maintenance of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) South Line.

It covers the 56-kilometer (km) commuter railway operations between Tutuban in Manila and Calamba City in Laguna, as well as the 478-km long-haul railway operations between Tutuban in Manila and Legazpi in Albay.

The long-haul service may also have extensions on the branch line between Calamba and Batangas and between Legazpi and Matnog in Sorsogon.

The project will have a cooperation period of 34 years including the construction period of four years.

Through the project, the aim is to provide improved transport and logistics services to currently underserved areas and encourage more productive activities.

At present, the commuter rail service which operates from Tutuban to Calamba serves around 75,000 passengers daily.

The project will follow a two-stage bidding process where in bidders have to be pre-qualified first based on the minimum legal, technical and financial requirements.

Only those who pre-qualify would be invited to submit their technical and financial proposals.