The Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) has received the offers for the contract to operate and maintain (O&M) the Riyadh Metro on 15 December.

Companies that were prequalified to bid for the tender were understood to include:

• SMRT (Singapore)
• Serco (UK)
• Korail (South Korea)
• RATP (France)
• Keolis (France)
• Ansaldo / Hitachi (Italy/Japan)
• QDVC (Qatar)

The deadline for the submissions was originally set on 15 October but this was extended due to the additional time needed for the prequalified bidders to secure information from the metro’s system providers.

The contract is expected to be awarded in 2017.

The ADA has said it is likely to select two or three O&M firms to operate and maintain the six lines, a source familiar with the project earlier told MEED.

The three Riyadh Metro packages were awarded to separate consortiums in 2013, with 2018 set as the target completion date for all lines at the time. A 12-month delay has been anticipated, with 2019 set as the new target completion date.

The completed metro network will be 176.5 kilometres long (7.8km as a 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.