A shortlist of eight parties has been drawn up in the procurement of the trans-Andes “La Linea” road tunnel project in Colombia. The winning bidder is expected to be selected by the Ministry of Transport by the middle of next month.
The 8.6km long bore and associated new road links have a maximum budget of US$330M and construction period of 70 months, starting the end of this year. The eight competing parties for the contract are:
- a Korean JV of Posco Engineering & Construction and Daewoo Engineering & Construction;
- a Colombia-Italian JV of Impregilo, Conalvias, Tecnica Vial S en C, Infracon and Gevial;
- a Colombia-Chinese JV of Vergel y Castellanos, China Railway 18th Bureau Group, Oilquip, Jose Javier Castellanos Bautista and Alfonso Vergel Hernandez;
- a JV of Colombian and Brazilian firms comprising OAS, Mario Alberto Huertas Cotes, Procopal, Meyan and Ingenieria de Vias;
- a Colombian-Italian JV of Grandi Labori Fincosit, Translogistic and Contorn Contrucoes Ecomercio;
- a consortium of Colombian and Mexican firms comprising Condux, Constructora Herrena Fronpeca, Constructora Carlos Collins, Alvarez y Collins, Promotora Montecarlos Vías, Tuneles de Colombia, Construirte, Gayco, Tecnicíviles, HyH Arquitectura and Miguel Camilo Castillo Huertas;
- a Colombian-Chinese JV of APA and MSDI with China Gezhouba Group; and,
- a local JV of Conconcreto, CSS Constructores, Estyma Estudios y Manejos, Solarte Solarte Carlos Alberto and Solarte Solarte Luis Hector.
A full length pilot bore preceded the main project, which is being built as part of a bigger scheme to improve the transport links for road freight crossing the Andes between Bogota and the port of Buenaventura.
The section containing La Linea tunnel, at about 2,450m above sea level, is between Calarca and Cajamarca.
