It is reported that local contractors are forming joint ventures with international transport specialists to compete for the contract to build a monorail at Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University for Women in Riyadh. The contract is expected to be worth at least SAR 3.75 billion.

Saudi Arabia's Higher Education Ministry has prequalified at least eight local and international firms for the package, which is the fourth construction contract to be offered at the university.

Several sources said that construction firm Saudi Oger is to submit a bid with Canadian transport manufacturer Bombardier, construction giant Saudi Binladin Group will team up with Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation, El-Seif Engineering & Contracting is to link up with Germany's Siemens and Saudi Freyssinet is to form a venture with Italian technology company Ansaldo STS. The contract will cover the construction of an 11 kilometers long monorail network elevated 10 meters above the ground.

Beirut based Dar al-Handasah is the consultant on the work, which is expected to take three years to complete.

Firms were originally expected to submit bids by the end of December 2008, but the deadline was moved back to 28th February. The client has now extended this again to 28th March.

(Sourced from MEED)