DOTC extends bid deadline for MRT 3 maintenance

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has delayed by one month the bidding of a contract worth P713 million to maintain the operations of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3) along EDSA for a period of one year.

DOTC Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla  issued General Bid Bulletin 01-2013 extending the deadline for the submission and opening of bids for the one-year MRT 3 maintenance system provider to May 16 instead of April 15.

“In view of the several requests for extension of the submission and opening of bids and in order for bidders to prepare for a competitive tender, please be notified of the new schedule of May 16 instead of April 15,” Lotilla stated in the bulletin.

Originally, interested parties were given until today to submit their bids for the one-year contract with an approved budget of P712.77 million.

“To ensure that the MRT 3 system operates under safe running conditions with on-time and reliable performance in providing convenience to all passengers, while on one hand effectively maintains cost at a minimum level with a reliable system, the DOTC-MRT 3 is inviting bidders for a one-year maintenance service provider contract for MRT 3,” the agency said.

The DOTC pointed out that the mass rail transit system is the cornerstone of the agency’s integrated strategy to alleviate chronic traffic congestion along EDSA.

The 17-kilometer MRT 3 from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City ferry about 600,000 passengers a day or way above its original design capacity of 350,000 passengers a day.

It was not clear, however, whether the existing six-month contract awarded to a temporary contractor last October would be extended.

Last October, the DOTC awarded a contract for the maintenance of the MRT3 to PH Trams-CB&T JV. The interim maintenance provider of the MRT 3 is for six months while it conducts the procurement process for a regular maintenance provider for the train line.

PH Trams-CB&T JV was awarded the contract as it offered the lowest monthly maintenance cost of $1.15 million compared to two other firms which submitted proposals such as Sumitomo TES-P Inc. and Miescor Railway/Genials JV.

The contract between the MRTC and Japanese firm Sumitomo Corp. has been extended four times.

The DOTC is also in the middle of bidding out a contract worth P3.8 billion for the acquisition of 48 new light rail vehicles for MRT 3 to augment the current fleet of 73 Czech-made trains.

Under the expansion program, the government would acquire 48 new trains to be able to use a four-car trains that would arrive every 2.5 minutes from the current service of three-car trains that arrive every three minutes during peak hours.

Earlier, Transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the agency is pursuing the complete government takeover of the MRT 3 so it could bid out the complete operation and maintenance of the mass transit system.