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The Australia Capital Territory (ACT) Government has selected Camberra Metro consortium as the preferred bidder for the delivery of the light rail PPP project in Canberra.

The team is composed of Pacific Partnerships, Mitsubishi Corporation, Aberdeen Infrastructure Investments Limited, John Holland, DB International, Leighton Contractors, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi.

The consortium beat out competition from Activate, the other team that was shortlisted in March 2015. 

The two shortlisted consortia submitted two bids for the project, one to detail the 12 km light rail track from Gungahlin to the City, and the other to detail the 3.2 km extension to Russell. 

The project will be developed on a build, own and operate (BOO) basis and the contract will have a period of 20 years.

The first stage of the Capital Metro project includes design and construction of a 12 km light rail route from the fast growing area of Gungahlin to the City, with 13 stops, depot, road, signaling and preparatory works and the ongoing operation and maintenance of the light rail system.

The total project investment is estimated at approximately A$783 million (US$553.8 million), which includes a nominal A$610 million plus A$173 million contingency.

Capital Metro, the agency behind the project, appointed in mid June 2014 Clayton Utz to legal advice for the project. Previously in May 2014 we reported that Ernst and Young worked on the business case. Additionally, an Arup-led consortium has worked on the project's technical elements.

CIMIC Group Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marcelino Fernández Verdes said:

“The CIMIC Group’s  PPP expertise, financial strength, diverse capabilities and major project experience position us strongly for projects such as Canberra’s light rail and others in the PPP pipeline. With Pacific Partnerships now firmly established and harnessing the Group’s international PPP experience, CIMIC will continue to target PPPs and deliver major infrastructure projects with a seamless end‐to‐end service, acting as sponsor, equity   participant , contractor and asset manager.”

CPB Cotractors Managing Director Román Garrido said:

“The Capital Metro project will deliver a high quality, reliable and frequent public transport service, bringing broader benefits to Canberra’s economy and community. Our team is focused on providing innovative design solutions and construction methodologies that deliver value for money, mitigate construction impacts and enhance light rail operations.”