Egypt’s Housing, Utilities & Urban Communities and Transport ministries have invited international firms to prequalify by 15 January for the contract to build, finance and maintain two monorail packages.

The first package is 35km long and will link Giza City with 6^th of October  City.

The second package will extend 52 kilometres from Nasr City district in Cairo to the New Cairo Capital.

Both projects are to be executed using a combined engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and financing model.

Egypt has been expecting to award a contract for the construction of a 35km monorail that will link 6^th of October City and Sheikh Zayed City to the transport networks in Greater Cairo. Two consortiums, one led by Canada’s Bombardier and the other by China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC), have submitted an offer for the contract in 2015.

The Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities and the Transport ministries are also seeking to prequalify firms by 14 January for the contract to build, finance and operate an electric high-speed passenger and freight rail that will link Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea coast and the new Alamein city on the Mediterranean coast.

EXCLUSIVE: Egypt seeks firms for rail package

The planned 534km rail will also link with the existing Alexandria railway station.

Similar to the two monorail systems, the high-speed rail is to be procured using a combined EPC and private financing scheme.

The prequalified companies are expected to form consortiums that will bid for the three contracts.

The contracts will include a long-term operation and maintenance (O&M) agreement.

According to the clients, companies should secure the necessary funding through international financial institutions - with a preference for government loans that have the best repayment conditions.

Egypt plans to build and modernise thousands of kilometres of rail track in line with its plan to strengthen its logistics sector and enable safer and more efficient public transport system for its citizens.