Firms are preparing to bid for three of the four contracts for the planned first phase of the Cairo Metro Line 4, which is being financed by Japan Bank for International Cooperation (Jbic).

Sojitz and Mitsubishi, both of Japan, are expected to submit a proposal for the rolling stock contract.

The tender for the two civil work packages has also been released. However, only one of the two prequalified firms has purchased the tender document, according to the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT), the client for the project.

Taisei Corporation, in partnership with local Orascom Construction, is expected to submit an offer for the two civil work packages on 2 July. The other firm that was prequalified for both packages, Shimizu Corporation, will not participate in the tender.

The tender for the systems package is expected to be released in early May.

Groups that have been prequalified for the systems package include:

• Mitsubishi (Japan) / Orascom Construction (local)
• Marubeni (Japan)
• Hitachi / Sumitomo (Japan)
• Toyo / Mitsui (Japan)

In September last year, a consortium comprising Japanese and local firms was awarded a $110m consultancy contract for the scheme. The consortium members are Nippon Koei (Japan), Nippon Civic (Japan), Oriental Consultancy (Japan), Ace Consulting Engineers (local) and Ehaf Consulting Engineers (local).

Line 4 will be constructed in two phases and will run for 43 kilometres from west to east Cairo.

It will connect 6th October and the New Cairo satellite cities with the existing metro network, catering to areas including Al-Ahram, Faisal, Giza, Nasr City and Al-Azhar University.

The first phase will have a total length of 18.8km and feature 17 stations. It will extend from the multimodal station west of the Ring Road to the Grand Egyptian Museum and on to El-Remayah Square to link with the Giza station of Line 2, El-Malek el-Saleh station of Line 1, and to Al-Fustat station.