APT Global gets one-year maintenance deal for MRT 3

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has awarded the one-year contract for the maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3) to Autre Porte Technique Global Inc. amid the delay in the bidding process for the expansion project of the mass rail transit along EDSA.

The DOTC issued a notice of award addressed dated Aug. 22 to APT Global authorized representative Mario dela Cruz after completing bid evaluation and post-qualification process.

APT is the only complete local railway service provider and has existing partnerships with multinational companies including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Sumitomo, Kinki Sharyo, Pacific Consultants International, Transurb Technirail, STIB and DAXI of Belgium.

The notice was approved by Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya but was also signed by Transportation Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla who also chairs the agency’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) and DOTC-MRT3 officer-in-charge Honorito Chaneco.

The tandem of Asiaphil Manufacturing Industries Inc. and Korea Railroad as well as Commbuilders & Technology Philippines Corp. failed to qualify for the one-year temporary maintenance service contract for MRT3 system worth P712.77 million.

The DOTC has extended the contract for the provision of interim maintenance services for MRT3 of the PH Trams CB & T joint venture twice.

Last October, the DOTC awarded a contract for the maintenance of the MRT3 to PH Trams. 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 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 original contract expired last April 19 but the DOTC granted a two-month extension of the contract of PH Trams to June 19 for $2.3 million. The interim contract was extended for another two months to Aug. 19 for a total consideration of $2.3 million.

The maintenance contract between the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC) and Japanese firm Sumitomo Corp. has been extended four times.