The government of New South wales has awarded a $1.15 billion contract for the tunnels design-build contract of the North West Rail Link to a consortium that includes Thiess, John Holland and Spanish firm Dragados.

The rail project will include three main contracts:

• Tunnels and Station Civils (TSC) package: Procured via D&C contract
• Surface and Viaduct Civils (SVC) package: Procured via D&C contract
• Operations, Trains and Systems (OTS) Package: Procured via a PPP contract, subject to demonstration of value for money in accordance with NSW Treasury's PPP Guidelines.

Three teams shortlisted to build the tunnels were the following:

• Baulderstone Bouyges North West Rail Joint Venture: Baulderstone Pty Ltd, Bouyges Travaux Publics; 
• RapidLink: Obayashi Corporation, McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust), Laing O'Rourke Australia Construction;
• Thiess John Holland Dragados: Thiess Pty Ltd, John Holland Pty Ltd, Dragados Australia Pty Ltd;

Three consortiums made up of a combined 17 organisations from Australia and overseas have lodged expressions of interest for the OTS PPP contract.