Saudi Arabia’s Metro Jeddah Company (MJC) is inviting expressions of interest (EOIs) leading to prequalifying civils contractors for the design, build and maintenance of the Jeddah bus network project.

The bus network comprises three separate schemes. The bus rapid transit (BRT) will run a distance of 26 kilometres along Heraa Street and King Fahad Road and will merge with Television Street. It will feature 30 stations and a fleet of 90 buses. The major bus corridor (MBC) will run through 93 kilometres of major roads in Jeddah City and will require approximately 340 buses. The third scheme, local feeder bus system, will be connected to districts and other modes of public transportation systems with a distance of approximately 182 kilometres. It will require about 400 buses.

The tender for the civils contract is open to national and international companies or joint ventures comprising both types of companies, which are certified as Tier 1 contractors by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Municipalities and Rural Affairs (Momra).

MJC stated that no more than 10 companies with a score of at least 65 (out of a total of 100 prequalification points) will be invited to tender for the bus network project. The tender calls for two- or five-year ongoing maintenance agreement, once the road projects have been commissioned, which may be extended.

The MJC also raised a separate tender for the design, supply, operation and maintenance of the bus network rolling stock.

The deadline for EOI submissions for both the bus network and rolling stock projects are on 20 September. The prequalification submissions for the former closes on 15 October.

The public bus network is part of the wider $12bn Jeddah Public Transport Plan (JPTP), which aims to address the growing traffic congestion in the city due to growing population and economic activities.

Earlier this year, the UK’s Foster+Partners has been awarded an $80m contract to establish a city network plan that integrates different modes of transportation, including metro, ferry and bus. It also began prequalifying project management and construction management firms for the master plan in June. The MJC also recently started prequalifying contractors for the tramway and light rail transit (LRT) as well as the metro components of the JPTP.