The California High-Speed Rail Authority has approved the appointment of a PB-led team that also includes Network Rail Consulting and management consultant LeighFisher.
The new role as rail delivery partner (RDP) recognises a shift in the USA’s first high-speed rail programme from planning to construction.
"We are pleased to have received competitive proposals from two of the global leaders in programme management," said authority CEO Jeff Morales. "Today's action reflects a new area of emphasis for us as we move forward with construction and focus towards planning and implementation of operations."
The authority’s CEO will now negotiate, finalise and execute the terms of the RDP contract which will run through to 2022 and has an estimated total value of up to US$700m.
The rail delivery partner is a successor of the current programne management team. On 29 January, the authority issued a request for qualifications for the RDP contract. On March 23, 2015, teams headed by Bechtel Infrastructure Corporation and Parsons Brinckerhoff submitted statements of qualifications. They were evaluated on their ability to address engineering and construction challenges, such as seismic tunnelling, high-speed systems, operations, testing, commissioning and support of alternative delivery models, including public-private partnerships. Following in-depth interviews, evaluators determined the PB team was the top-ranked bidder.
Twenty of the 40 firms committed in PB’s contract bid are small businesses that will help the company meet the authority’s aggressive small business programme, which includes a 30% participation goal for small businesses competing for contracts with the authority. The small business program also includes a 10% participation goal for disadvantaged business enterprises and a 3% participation goal for disabled veteran business enterprises.
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