On August 6, 2018, the Metro Company of Bogotá S.A. ("EMB" for its Spanish acronym) released through the Public Procurement Electronic System (“SECOP II” for its Spanish acronym) the prequalification invitation1 (the “PI”) to all the individuals and companies interested in participating in the bidding process (the "Bidding Process") to select the contractor that will be in charge of completing the studies, final designs, financing, construction, supply, tests, operation and maintenance of Section 1 of the first metro line for Bogotá ("PLMB" for its Spanish acronym).


Empresa Metro de Bogotá

The Bidding Process will be carried out in accordance with the regulations of the Inter-American Development Bank ("IDB"). The first phase will be undertaken for the prequalification of the participating companies, which may participate individually or could be associated to form a group of bidders. This phase will be completed to receive documents and certifications to accredit the technical, legal and financial requirements of the participants and, therefore, the economic proposals will not be presented at this stage. Then, the EMB will verify the submitted documents and disclose the list of companies that fulfilled the requirements of the DP.

The qualified companies will receive the terms of reference containing the technical specifications of the project. Once the observations and clarifications phase has been completed, the bidders will submit their economic proposals. The Bidding Process will end with the evaluation of the economic proposals and the award of the contract to a single company or consortium of contractors, manufacturers and operators that present the best economic proposal in net present value, for the construction, operation and maintenance of the PMLB.

The PI contains a description of the enabling conditions that the potential bidders must accredit in order to qualify to the Bidding Process, the description of the PLMB and the transaction structure for the performance of the PLMB. Among other aspects, it can be underscored from such document the following: 

  • The contract is for the award of a concession, which scope includes the completion of the designs, obtaining a partial financing, the construction, the procurement, the operation, the maintenance and the subsequent reversion of the PLMB. The contract is structured as a DFBOMT contract.
  • The total cost of the Metro project is USD $4,400 million and will be jointly financed by the IDB, the World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) and the European Investment Bank.
  • In accordance with the enabling conditions released by the EMB, the bidders must accredit their financial capacity through: (i) a minimum net worth equivalent to COP $ 5.2 trillion (approximately USD $ 1.7 billion); (ii) a net worth of the leader equivalent to COP $ 2.5 trillion (approximately USD $ 830 million); (iii) indebtedness capacity for COP $ 4.4 trillion (approximately USD $1.46 billion); (iv) experience in financing projects in private public partnerships or concession contracts, having obtained financing for an amount greater than or equal to COP $ 3.28 trillion (approximately USD $ 1.09 billion).
  • In relation to the experience that shall be accredited as an enabling condition, potential bidders must certify that they comply with: (i) experience in the performance of metro projects; (ii) experience in the performance of civil works; (iii) experience in the manufacture and commissioning of rolling stock; (iv) experience in the design, manufacture and commissioning of a signalling system and automatic train control; and (v) experience in operation.

Regarding the financial structure of the project, the total investment of USD $4,400 million considers USD$700 million for real estate management, transfer of networks and PMO (Project Management Office). The remaining USD $ 3,700 corresponds to the concession contract, distributed into USD $ 2,600 million that the EMB will pay progressively to the contractor, and USD $1,100 million that the contractor must contribute for the partial financing of the project.

The companies interested in participating in the Bidding Process shall submit their proposals no later than November 27, 2018. Once the evaluation of the proposals has been made, the "Prequalified List" will be published and the respective terms of reference of the definitive Bidding Process will be submitted, along with the contract minutes, the annexes, the designs and other appendices, so that all prequalified bidders can prepare and present their corresponding proposals.

1 See Prequalification Invitation 

 

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