Bids are in to construct Stage 2 Gold Coast Light Rail

Construction of Stage 2 of the Gold Coast Light Rail has moved a step closer with GoldLinQ taking delivery of Request for Tender documentation from the three short-listed bidders.

Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games Stirling Hinchliffe said the bids would now be evaluated to select the preferred tenderer to deliver the 7.3 kilometre light rail alignment, which will run from the Helensvale heavy rail station and bus interchange to the Gold Coast University Hospital and connect to the Gold Coast University Hospital light rail station.

Mr Hinchliffe said the government was fortunate to be choosing from among the industry’s best to construct the project with three consortia invited to tender including, Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd, John Holland Queensland Pty Ltd, and GamesLinQ (A Downer EDI Works and BMD Constructions Joint Venture).

"The Palaszczuk Government is seeking three value for money bids and an assurance that construction can be completed in late 2017 or early 2018 to ensure the trams and integrated public transport system is fully operational in time for 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games," Mr Hinchliffe said.

"The 12 week competitive tender phase was an interactive process designed to maximise innovation, time-saving and design development with more than 80 meetings held with tenderers, including 27 interactive workshops, and more than 260 formal answers and 3,000 project documents supplied to the tenderers.

"Stage 2 is a vital infrastructure project for the state that is expected to generate 1,000 direct and indirect jobs."

GoldLinQ Chairman John Witheriff said the team would now evaluate the detailed proposals against a range of criteria to ensure a well-informed decision is made on the preferred bidder to design and construct Stage 2.

"Following GoldLinQ’s rigorous evaluation process and recommendation to the Queensland Government the announcement of the successful tenderer is expected to be made by April 2016, with construction commencing shortly after," he said.

The selected bidder will construct the infrastructure associated with Stage 2 of the light rail system and will be required to engage with local individuals and businesses to work on the project.

The proposed 7.3 kilometre alignment effectively utilises existing road and rail corridors reducing the community and environmental impacts, and delivery timeframes. The new track will run adjacent to the Smith Street Motorway and adjacent to the Gold Coast Rail Line along the inter-regional transport corridor.

The final cost of Stage 2 will not be known until GoldLinQ has completed the competitive tender process. The formal tender phase closed at 4pm on Wednesday, 23 December.

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