Saudi Railway Company (SAR) has invited companies to prequalify for the construction supervision consultancy contract for the Saudi Landbridge project.

The project, which has been in the planning stage since 2004, entails the construction of approximately 1,200 km of railway line that will connect the port cities of Jeddah, Dammam and Jubail with the capital Riyadh. The scheme also involves the upgrading of the existing rail link between Riyadh and Dammam

The consultant will be responsible for supervising the contractors’ contractual compliance and site supervision of the works with respect to safety and quality.

The project is expected to take 84 months from the start of the contract period. Prequalified applicants will be invited to submit bids in the fourth quarter of 2014

The deadline for bids is 22 July.

In August 2013, the Saudi Railway Company (SAR) awarded the Italian state railway group Italferr, together with local partner, Arabian Consulting Engineering Centre, a $24m contract for the design of the project. In January 2013, US firm Fluor won the project management consultancy contract for the rail project.