The Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen) has qualified three consortia for the next phase of the tender process for Rv 555 Sotrasambandet PPP project (the Sotra connection). The companies are further invited to the clarification and tender phase for the contract on the PPP project. The contract for Sotrasambandet has an estimated value of around NOK 17 billion (USD 1.1 billion).

The project involves the development of the new main land connection between Sotra/Øygarden and Bergen to ensure efficient transport to urban centres and urban districts, and to main roads, railway, airport and sea transport.

The three qualified teams are:

• Sotra link consisting and owned by FCC Construcción S.A., Salini Impregilo S.p.A., SK Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. and Macquarie Corporate Holdings Pty Limited
• ITIAS consisting and owned by ITINERA S.p.A., IHI Corporation and ASTM S.p.A.
• Via Sotra consisting and owned by VINCI Concessions S.A.S., VINCI Highways S.A.S., Acciona Concesiones S.L. and Implenia Switzerland Ltd.

The three consortia consist of large players with experience in the implementation of large transport projects with complicated traffic management. In addition, all the companies have experience in completing all phases in the PPP contract model - financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance.

The project is now entering a new phase in which the companies will start the tender work and understand the framework conditions for the project in detail. The next phase is called clarification and tender phase, where four clarification meetings will be held with each supplier. The first meeting will be held at the end of May and will continue into June. Each meeting series has defined themes and will run over several days.

Covid-19 has resulted in the actual pre-qualification phase being carried out in the home office, and all interaction in the project team has been through digital platforms.

The first offer deadline will be December 18 this year. This is followed by a series of negotiation meetings and new tender submissions. Announcement of companies to finance, project, build, operate and maintain Sotrasambandet for 25 years is scheduled for July 2021. 

Construction start is estimated to be around the end of 2021/22.