SOUTHEAST ASIA CONSTRUCTION05 Aug 2022
Project management consultant appointed for Malaysia’s MRT3 project

Malaysia’s Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) has appointed a joint venture of HSS Integrated Sdn Bhd and HSS Engineering Sdn Bhd as project management consultant (PMC) for the MRT3 Circle Line project. The contract is valued at RM997.9 million.

The open tender process for PMC saw the participation of 13 companies, through five consortiums, revealed MRT Corp. Apart from technical and commercial submissions, the bidders also had to submit a proposal for economic enhancement programmes and a response to various implementation and engineering solutions.

The rigorous and multi-pronged evaluation is to ensure that the PMC has the relevant experience and demonstrated capabilities to undertake a transformational approach in delivering this major national infrastructure project, said MRT Corp.

Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim, CEO of MRT Corp, added, “Besides assisting MRT Corp, we also expect the PMC to serve the needs of the civil and system work package contractors, so that we can work together effectively to deliver the project.

“All parties’ interests must be aligned to deliver the common objectives. The responsibility to synchronise construction work activities has been tasked to the PMC. The PMC will be given targets and KPIs, with a penalty for not meeting them.”

According to MRT Corp, the open tender process for the MRT3 Circle Line project is “on track and progressing well.” The tender will be divided into five main packages, comprising one project management consultant (PMC) package, three civil main contractor (CMC) packages, and one systems turnkey contractor (STC) package.

“MRT Corp expects the construction cost of the MRT3 project to be competitive and comparable to the cost of MRT Putrajaya Line project. This open tender exercise is intended to attract the most competitive bids,” said Mr Hashim.

Due to an overwhelming response, MRT Corp has extended the deadline for technical submission for CMC302 and CMC303 packages from 2 August 2022 to 30 September 2022. Based on this extension, the full tender submissions will now be due on 30 September 2022.

The deadline for CMC301 full tender submission remains unchanged on 30 August 2022.

“The new approach in project delivery and contracting strategy is a culmination of a decade’s worth of experience of MRT Corp as the asset owner and project developer. We believe this approach will be a growth impetus for the construction and rail industries. Local companies, particularly Bumiputera-owned, now have an opportunity to be in an ecosystem, where expertise, skills and technology can be cross-fertilised,” said Mr Hashim.

He stressed that MRT3 is “beyond a construction project, it is an opportunity to rejuvenate the economy, and upskill the talent and capabilities of Keluarga Malaysia [Malaysia Family].”

The MRT3 Circle Line is the critical final piece to complete Kuala Lumpur’s urban rail network. Its proposed 51-km alignment will run along the perimeter of the Kuala Lumpur city and be connected to MRT, LRT, KTM and Monorail lines through 10 interchange stations. Once completed, the urban rail network will further encourage public transport usage in Kuala Lumpur.

Image: MRT Corp