Saudi Arabia’s Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) is likely to award the contracts to operate and maintain (O&M) Riyadh Metro’s six lines by mid-September, a source close to the project tells MEED.

It is understood that French firms RATP Dev and Keolis, as well as Italy’s Ansaldo, now part of Japan’s Hitachi, were the frontrunners for the contracts, which were expected to be awarded in October last year, following the completion of the bids evaluation process.

Results of the bid evaluation process were understood to have been forwarded in July last year to the Council of Economic and Development Affairs (Ceda), whose final approval is required before the contracts are awarded.

However, the contract awards have been delayed due to some changes required by the ADA.

One of the bidders, UK-based Serco Group, pulled out of the bidding process last year citing “longer than anticipated tendering process”.

The client received the initial round of submissions for the contracts in December 2016. Final submissions were received in May last year.

ADA said it is likely to select two or three firms to operate and maintain Riyadh Metro’s six lines.

Three Riyadh Metro packages, collectively worth $23bn, were awarded to separate consortiums in 2013.

Construction works on the metro are expected to be completed in late 2019.

The metro network will be 176.5 kilometres long, inclusive of 7.8km of common section for Line 4 and Line 6, with underground, elevated and at-grade sections. It will have a total of 85 stations and 25 park-and-ride locations.