Government approval for public-private partnership construction of four twin-tube metro sections totalling 30 km in hard ground, boulder clay and river sand, and one underground section of suburban railway. Detailed design to start 2003 for construction 2006-2010. Visit www.dublincorp.ie 06/01.Qualification system for phase 1 of the Dublin metro under DBFO contract. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/ojs/en/frame.htm, OJ S 66, document 51932-2002 or contact Railway Procurement Agency, Dublin, fax +353 (01) 7032726. E-mail rpa@luas.ie 15/02.Negotiated procedure, deadline 9th January, 2006 for test drilling and boring work for the Dublin metro project. The Dublin metro project will run for approximately 20 km between Dublin city centre and Swords via Dublin Airport. The alignment will be a mix of tunnel, at-grade and elevated. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=227341-2005, OJ S 230, or contact Railway Procurement Agency, Dublin, fax +353 16463518. E-Mail tony.redmond@rpa.ie 49/05.IGSL got geotechnical investigation contract M7081 for test drilling and boring work for various alignment options for the Metro North project in Dublin. This stage of the project is focused on selecting the best overall route option. There are four options to be considered and assessed. Following route selection, work will begin on the detailed design phase of the project. All routes contain some tunnelled sections as well as some elevated and some surface sections. Metro North will be constructed under a public-private partnership and it is planned that the contract will be awarded in late 2007. Visit www.igsl.ie 28/06.Open call for tenders, deadline 22nd November, 2006 for contract M7086, geotechnical investigation associated with the proposed alignment of Dublin's metro North project, extending over a distance of approximately 17 km from the city centre. The investigation may be divided into two parts with a southern part addressing the conditions in the areas of the city where the alignment runs underground and a northern part in the areas of the city where the alignment is, in the main, in retained cut or at-grade or elevated. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=203495-2006, OJ S 191, or contact Railway Procurement Agency, Dublin, tel. +353 16463511. E-mail liz.mccarthy@rpa.ie 42/06.Negotiated procedure, deadline 4th May, 2007 for expressions of interest for the provision of the Metro North line serving the Greater Dublin area between Lissenhall and St Stephen's Green. RPA intends to award separate contracts for an infrastructure contractor and rolling stock supplier (the infrastructure contract), and an operator (the operating contract). Read E-News Weekly 6/2007. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=71794-2007, OJ S 58, or contact RPA, Dublin, tel. +353 16463400 or 16463563. E-mail metronorthprocurement@rpa.ie14/07.IGSL pocketed lots A and B of contract M7086 for geotechnical investigation associated with the proposed alignment of Dublin's metro North project, extending over a distance of approximately 17 km from the city centre. Norwest Holst won lot C of this same contract. Contract M7086 involves fieldwork and laboratory testing. Visit www.igsl.ie and www.soil-engineering.co.uk 22/07.The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) shortlisted candidates for the first stage of the tendering process for Dublin's first light metro line. The qualified candidates for Metro North, an 18 km line from St Stephen's Green in central Dublin to Lissenhall, have until 2nd November, 2007 to form bidding groups consisting of infrastructure provider, rolling stock supplier and operator. Infrastructure candidates include: Cathrí³ (Fluor, Royal BAM Group, Siemens and Strabag), Celtic Metro Group (Barclays, OHL, Mitsui and Soares da Costa), Dublin Express Link (HSBC, Meridiam, Acciona, Bouygues, Siac, Alstom and Spie Rail), and MetroExpress (Macquarie Bank, AIB, FCC, Caja Madrid and Bombardier). The operator candidates are UK's First Group, Keolis of France, MTR Corporation of Hong Kong, and Transdev of France. The rolling stock candidates are Veolia, Alstom, Ansaldobreda, Bombardier, CAF and Siemens. Construction of Metro North will begin next year and the line will open in 2012. The line is expected to carry around 30 million passengers per year. Click ie/16. 41/07.The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) advised candidates of the list of qualified candidates for the Metro North project on 11th September, 2007 and gave them until 2nd November to form qualified bidding groups consisting of one qualified candidate from each of the qualified infrastructure, qualified operator and qualified rolling stock supplier. RPA has received confirmation of the formation of four qualified bidding groups as follows: Cathrí³ (Fluor, Royal BAM Group, Siemens, Strabag, and Veolia), Celtic Metro Group (Barclays Private Equity, OHL, Mitsui, Soares da Costa, CAF, and MTR), Dublin Express Link (HSBC Infrastructure Fund Management, Meridiam Infrastructure Finance, Acciona, Bouygues, Siac, Alstom, Spie Rail, Alstom Transport, and Keolis), and MetroExpress (Macquarie Bank, AIB, FCC, Caja Madrid, Bombardier, and Transdev/RATP). 48/07.Invitation to tender, deadline 06.11.2008, for condition surveying services for proposed Metro North property owners protection scheme. Railway Procurement Agency will launch scheme offering free, independent condition survey of properties within the vicinity of tunnelling and mining works of the project. Duration of contract 60 months. Contact Derek Allen, tel +358 1646 3680, e-mail derek.allen@rpa.ie More at www.rpa.ie 44/08.Invitation to tender by negotiated procedure, deadline 05.12.2008, for a contractor to coordinate and implement the Heritage Works package to safeguard items of architectural and historical importance required as part of the enabling works for Metro North. This will involve engagement and management of specialist subcontractors for significant elements of the work. Duration 72 months from award. Contact Derek Allen, tel +353 1646 3680, e-mail derek.allen@rpa.ie or download spec and docs at www.rpa.ie 46/08 http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=291101-2008 Invitation to tender by negotiated procedure, deadline 16.01.2009, for design/build contract for construction of station box at Mater Hospital and associated works to be completed as part of the enabling works of Metro North. Duration of contract 36 months from award. Further information from Derek Allen of Railway Procurement Agency, tel +353 1646 3680, e-mail derek.allen@rpa.ie. http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=318379-2008 50/08.