Netherlands-based company, Rebel Group, has signed a US$1.3 million contract to provide advisory services to the World Bank-funded Dar es Salam Rapid Transport system (DART).

DART Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Asteria Mlambo and Mr Guillaume Remy of the Rebel Group,  signed the contract in Dar es Salaam.

The Dutch company will provide advisory services for the procurement of bus operators, fare collectors and fund manager for the operations of the DART System.

There were 18 interested parties that had applied. Rebel Group won the tender out of six firms that were shortlisted. Rebel 's representatives said that the need for making the Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit System called Dar Rapid Transit (DART) operational was urgent for the city and a priority to the government.

They also noted that the government has put into place a framework for the implementation of public-private partnership (PPP) projects and that the DART project is one of the largest of such projects with expected private sector investments of about US$180 million.

In January 2012, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved US$100 million as additional financing for completion of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Dar es Salaam.