The Public Investment Fund (PIF) has finalised the list of prequalifiers for the first three civil and trackwork packages on the planned $2,800 million minerals railway project. The consortiums will now be invited to submit technical and commercial proposals by 24 September (MEED 28:7:06). Eighteen consortiums have been prequalified for the packages, the first three portions of the 2,400-kilometre-long minerals railway project. The fourth package is due to be issued in the final quarter. PIF is already evaluating bids for the two advanced earthworks packages in the Al-Nufud region. It is expected to make an award by mid-August. The prequalifiers are (local unless stated):Gamuda Berhad, Malaysia, with DRB-Hicom, MalaysiaRussian RailwaysOrascom Construction Industries, Egypt, with Geneva-registered Archirodon Construction (Overseas), Saudi Condreco Company and TSO, FranceChina International Trust & Investment Corporation (CITIC), with China Railway Wuju Group Corporation and China Railway 22 Bureau GroupSaudi Oger, with Saudi Pan Company for Trading, Industry & Contracting (Sapac), China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, Ircon International, India, CPCS Transcom, Canada and John Holland Rail Group, AustraliaDaelim Industrial Company, South Korea, with Kuedo Kongyung Corporation, South Korea and Taemyung Industrial Corporation, South KoreaBarclay Mowlem, Australia, with Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting and Mitsui Corporation, JapanPhilip Holzmann, Germany with, Al-Shoula Group, Younglim Corporation, South Korea, KR Network, South Korea, Ssangyong Corporation, South Korea, Zhong Xing, China, Sambo Engineering, South Korea and Seojin Engineering Corporation, South KoreaShibh al-Jazira Contracting Company, with China Railway Engineering CorporationSaudi Binladin GroupObrascon Huarte Lain (OHL), Spain, with El-Seif Engineering Contracting, China Communications Construction Group and Yapi Merkezi, TurkeyThird Engineering Group of the China Railway Construction Corporation, with Saudi Tempane CompanyChina Railway 18th Bureau Group, with Al-Suwaiket Trading & Contracting CompanySojitz Corporation, Japan with Arab Supply & Trading Company (Astra) and Al-Arrab ContractingAl-Hokair Group, with Pizzarotti Group, ItalyChina Railway First Group, with Al-Mobty Company for ContractingSamama Group of Companies* * consortium includes unidentified local, UAE, Malaysian and Korean firms