Page 2705 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 16 September 2014
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Over the last six months there has been extensive work to determine the technical work for engineering, urban design and light rail operations. The technical adviser consultancy, involving Arup, Hassell, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Brown Consulting and others, has progressed the project through the phases of feasibility, scoping and definition design. Each phase has been delivered as required and the growing level of detail has provided the understanding needed to progress our planning, community discussions and, importantly, the financial analysis in the business case.
We have seen a great deal of market interest in the project for all aspects of its delivery, including planning, financing, constructing and operations. In addition to completing a number of market-requested individual briefings, the Capital Metro Agency has completed a detailed market sounding process, and the feedback received from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. A project of this size and significance requires extensive organisation on the side of the private sector, and we will need to do all that we can to inform industry and facilitate their preparation.
It is for this reason that the industry briefing was held yesterday which saw such strong interest from local, national and international firms. The purpose of the briefing was to provide participants with all that they needed to understand the project and to respond strongly to our expression of interest process. There was also a strong turnout from local suppliers, who are very keen to understand the opportunities for their businesses.
The Capital Metro Agency has developed a local industry participation policy to ensure that local businesses and suppliers are involved in delivering the first stage of light rail. This policy is available on the capital metro website and is now being developed into a local industry plan that will be an important part of the procurement strategy.
The industry briefing provided the government with an opportunity to outline the key aspects of the project. This event demonstrates the ongoing progress of this project, following on from design, definition design and community consultation. Following the government’s commitment to proceed with the project, we are now preparing to deliver the procurement process, with the expression of interest process to commence at the end of next month.
The approval of the final business case by the government enables the project to progress into the procurement phase. The procurement phase will run until a preferred tender is identified and a contract agreed and executed. The procurement phase of the project begins with the announcement of the EOI phase at the end of October, and this will be the first opportunity for the market to officially respond to the project’s requirements. It is anticipated that that process will last approximately three months and result in the identification of a short-list of respondents.
Proponents short-listed at the EOI stage will then be invited to provide their formal proposals. This process is anticipated to commence in the second quarter of 2015 and last until the end of next year.
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