Costa Rica’s transport and public works ministry (MOPT) has presented a draft of the bidding rules for the country’s metropolitan electric train (TREM) concession, connecting capital San José to Heredia province.

MOPT will launch the tender by end-October and will receive bids in February or March 2010, TREM concession project manager Juan Sauma told BNamericas.

The awardee will be responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance of the rail service for 35 years.

Eleven firms attended a meeting at which transport minister Karla González presented bidding rules for the tender, according to paper La Nación.

Interested firms reportedly include Alstom (France), CAF (Spain), Inekon Group (Czech Republic) Siemens (Germany), Bombardier (Canada), Soares da Costa (Portugal), FCC (Spain), OAS (Brazil), Capital Lending Corporation (US), Pöyry (Mexico), and a consortium of Daebon Engineering and Hyundai Rotem (South Korea).

Prefeasibility studies carried out by Brazilian firm Engevix put the total project cost at US$345mn, of which US$100mn would be provided by the state and the remainder by the awardee.

The project involves the construction of two parallel railways and the implementation of electric trains capable of transporting 340 passengers each.

The system is expected to start operations in 2013.

via MOPT presents bidding rules for US$345mn TREM project, Costa Rica, Privatization, news.

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