DOTC bids out contract for rail grinding machine

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has earmarked P193 million for the acquisition of a rail grinding machine for the ageing Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3).

In an invitation to bid, the DOTC-MRT3 announced the procurement of supply and delivery of one rail-borne rail grinding machine through a competitive bidding using the non-discretionary pass/fail criteria under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

To qualify, the agency said bidders should have completed a similar single contract within the last 10 years with a value equivalent to at least 50 percent of the approved budget for the contract of the new project.

It added that the bidding is restricted to Filipinos or companies with at least 60 percent interest belonging to Filipino citizens.

Interested bidders have until May 6 to submit their bids. The DOTC-MRT3 also invited companies to a pre-bid conference on April 22.

The DOTC expects the delivery of additional brand new steel rails in June as the replacement of old rail tracks of the ageing mass transit system as early as February.

The DOTC is scheduled to receive 7,296 meters of brand new steel rails in June to be used for further rail replacement works later this year.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya earlier said the replacement of old rails would minimize glitches that affected the country’s most utilized railway system along EDSA.

The agency has awarded a P61.5 million contract to the Jorgman-Daewoo-MBTech joint venture for the supply of 608 pieces of 12-meter steel rails for MRT3 last Jan. 29. The joint venture is composed Jorgman Planning & Development Corp., Korea’s Daewoo Group, and MBTech Group of Germany.

Operations of MRT3 have been disrupted several times due to broken rails prompting the mass transit system to operate partially until the damaged rails were replaced. One of its trains overshot the Taft Avenue station in August last year injuring close to 40 passengers.