Recently, Saudi Arabia has officially launched the design bidding process for the Mecca Metro project. The project plans to construct four subway lines, A to D, with a total of 89 stations and an estimated total investment of 16.5 billion US dollars. The first phase of the project will focus on promoting the construction of Line B and Line C, with a budget of about 8 billion US dollars. The core purpose is to connect the pilgrimage core areas such as the Forbidden Temple, Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifa. As one of the largest single urban rail projects in the Middle East in recent years, the European consulting team has completed the preliminary preparation work and is expected to gradually release cooperation opportunities in multiple fields such as civil construction, core equipment, electromechanical systems, signal systems, and operation and maintenance, bringing new development opportunities for international enterprises that layout the Middle East market.

The project team has been determined

Based on the currently announced project team composition, Systra, a French engineering consulting firm, serves as the engineering consultant for the subway project. They have previously completed the preliminary design work for Line B and Line C and are currently updating the relevant feasibility study results; In terms of finance, Ernst&Young is responsible for the economic feasibility analysis and investment and financing architecture design of the project; At the legal compliance level, Huasheng International Law Firm undertakes the legal advisory work for project governance and procurement framework. In terms of strategic supervision, the Royal Commission for Mecca City and Holy Land is responsible for overall strategic planning of the project, while the Saudi Transport Authority fulfills industry regulatory responsibilities.

Consultants have an information advantage

Before the start of this round of design bidding, Systra has completed the preliminary design related work and has significant information advantages. This type of consultant re-election model is very common in large infrastructure projects, which also means that the formulation of technical specifications for subsequent projects will largely continue the technical route preferences of the existing consultant team. For external enterprises interested in participating in subsequent procurement, understanding and adapting to this specification system is a necessary condition for entering the supply chain of the project.

Refer to the experience of Riyadh

The project party clearly stated in their public statement that the design principles of the Mecca Metro will draw on the construction experience of the Riyadh Metro. The total investment of Riyadh Metro is about 23 billion US dollars. Recently, with the full operation of the western transfer station, it has reached an important milestone in its development process. It has accumulated practical experience that can be used for reference in the integration of high energy automation systems, multi-mode hub connections, and large-scale passenger flow management. Keywords: Saudi Arabia, Mecca Metro, bidding

This statement has clear guiding significance for all parties interested in participating in the Mecca Metro project: the system standards, design specifications, and procurement logic adopted by the Riyadh Metro are likely to become important reference for the development of technical specifications for the Mecca Metro. In addition, Saudi Arabia's localization policy requires local employment and procurement ratios for foreign contractors, and this compliance cost needs to be included in the evaluation scope in advance when formulating bidding strategies.Editor/Gong Ziwei