Algeria’s Public Works Ministry is inviting companies to submit bids by 11 June for a contract that covers the operation of the $11bn East-West highway.

The scope covers operation of the facilities, including buildings and equipment related to the East-West highway. It also covers servicing the equipment and the highway itself.

The six-lane highway is aimed at linking Algeria’s major coastal cities with the Moroccan border in the west and the Tunisia border in the east. The highway is 1,216-kilometres long.

On 10 August 2011, a 70km stretch of the highway running from Guelma to Skikda was opened. Construction is now complete. The motorway was initially due to be completed in 2009, but suffered construction delays. There were also concerns about the future of the El-Kala national park, which was on the planned route. The client is the government’s Agence National des Autoroutes.