PETALING JAYA: Two local construction giants have teamed up to bid for the project delivery partner (PDP) role in the KL-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project.

Gamuda Bhd is teaming up with Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) to participate in the tender that will see both parties cooperating with one another in a bid to secure the PDP works portion.

StarBiz Premium first reported over the weekend on Gamuda, MRCB and IJM Corp Bhd being possible contenders for the PDP role of the KL-Singapore HSR.

Gamuda and MRCB will each have a 50% stake in the entity bidding for the PDP project. “Upon the successful awarding as the PDP, Gamuda and MRCB shall enter into the relevant definitive agreements to formalise the joint venture (JV) and set out the rights and obligations of each party in the said JV,” Gamuda said.

The PDP is tasked with assisting in the Malaysian civil infrastructure portion of the HSR project, MyHSR said.

“The PDP will be responsible for developing the detailed design for the infrastructure works and delivering the infrastructure works on budget and on time,” it said.

The infrastructure design covers the station and the alignment structures: bridges, tunnels and embankments that are within Malaysia, it added.

It was reported earlier that a briefing is expected to be held this coming Monday for firms that are presently involved in HSR-related projects, and that they would be invited for the tender exercise.

According to the tender notification, a PDP for the KL-Singapore HSR would be in charge of overall project management, to develop and monitor a baseline schedule, risk management and interface management.

The PDP company would also be involved in the detailed design, procurement planning and construction management, including testing and commissioning for the HSR civil infrastructure works in Malaysia. It would also have to interface and engage with various HSR stakeholders such as the regulators for land acquisition activities and systems, the notice said.

It also said that the PDP would assist in planning the tunneling works and obtaining approvals from the relevant authorities, including for land acquisition and the eventual certificate of completion compliance.

The company would also have to provide eventual knowledge transfer and training to the relevant staff regarding the operation and maintenance of the works.

MyHSR said prerequisites for companies that are interested in the PDP role include those that have undertaken railway projects in Malaysia before and are able to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of local Malaysian railway construction best practices, regulatory requirements and supply market conditions.

“They must also have undertaken railway projects in Malaysia and be able to demonstrate railway project management, design and construction experience,” it said.

For the undertaking of these tasks, the PDP will then be paid a fee, which is said to be about 6% of the total construction cost of the KL-Singapore HSR.

Other than the PDP tender, another portion that would be of focus for potential companies is the tender for the upcoming assets company (AssetsCo). The AssetsCo tender will focus on systems and trains and is expected to be launched by the end of this year. Both the PDP and AssetsCo tenders are expected to be completed in 2018.

The AssetsCo tender, which will be jointly tendered out by both Malaysia and Singapore, has already seen some interest from other companies.

George Kent (Malaysia) Bhd had in October formed a pre-consortium agreement with Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Germany, and Siemens Pte Ltd, Singapore, to bid for the AssetsCo tender.

George Kent and Siemens will bid for the development, financing, construction, technical operations and maintenance of the HSR.

Another contender, MMC Corp Bhd , had said in July that it was bidding for the AssetsCo tender of the HSR with a Japanese consortium. The ambitious KL-Singapore HSR planned track alignment tracks closely with the North South Expressway and is estimated to cost around RM60bil.

It will have seven stations in total along the major towns and cities on the west coast of Malaysia: Bandar Malaysia, Bangi-Putrajaya, Serem-ban, Melaka, Muar, Batu Pahat and Iskandar Puteri.

The KL-Singapore HSR’s terminus station heading south is in Jurong East in Singapore.