Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) expects to award a team comprising France’s RATP Dev and Keolis a contract to operate and manage the first phase of the Doha Metro and Lusail tramway by 7 December.

Four of six teams that were prequalified for the contract submitted proposals in November last year. The three other teams that submitted a bid for the deal are:

• Serco (UK)
• Transdev (France)
• Arriva (UK) / DB International(Germany)

Two other teams, led by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation, did not bid for the contract.

In August, Qatar Rail received the first four trains for the Doha Metro.

The trains are to be tested on the 4-kilometre trackwork railway test section along the Doha Metro Red Line.

A consortium comprising Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Corporation, Hitachi, and Kinki Sharyo along with France’s Thales won the $3.25bn systems, rolling stock and track work for the metro in 2015.

Contractors are currently preparing to submit proposals for the extension of the Doha Metro Green Line by 10 December.