Panama Canal Requests Proposals For New Locks Construction

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) released its Request for Proposal (RFP) Friday on the "design-build" contract for the new locks under the Canal's Expansion Program. Four global consortia will now move forward with their bids on what will be the largest and most important project under the $5.25b expansion.

The Expansion Program will build a new lane of traffic along the Panama Canal through the construction of a new set of locks, doubling capacity and allowing more traffic and longer, wider ships. The ACP will meet with consortia representatives in February 2008 regarding the content of the RFP for the construction of the new set of locks. Proposals are due August 2008. The ACP will evaluate bids based on the best value concept, with emphasis on technical components (60 percent) and price (40 percent). Following a thorough review, the ACP expects to award the contract in December 2008.

The winner of this contract will design and build two locks complexes, which include water-saving basins. The consortia in the running for the contract include: Consorcio C.A.N.A.L.; Consorcio Atlántico-Pacífico de Panamá; Consortia Bechtel, Taisei, Mitsubishi Corporation; and Consorcio Grupo Unidos por el Canal. (Editor's note: Details of the companies that compose each consortium are listed at the end of this document.)

The qualifying process for interested consortia began August 27, 2007, when the ACP released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the construction of the new set of locks. On November 15, 2007, four consortia, composed of 30 companies from 13 countries, submitted Statements of Qualifications. Based on a pass-fail evaluation of criteria and capabilities, the ACP certified on December 14, 2007, that each of those consortia qualified to receive and respond to the RFP. The new Pacific locks will be located to the southwest side of the Miraflores Locks. The new Atlantic locks will be located to the east of Gatun Locks. Each set of locks will have three levels, also called chambers, and will rely on gravity to operate. Each lock chamber will be accompanied by three water-saving basins, allowing the reutilization of 60 percent of the water in each transit. For an animated simulation of the new locks, please visit www.thenewsmarket.com/panamacanal. The table below lists the participating companies within each of the four consortia.

Consorcio C.A.N.A.L. Consortium Members: • ACS Servicios, Comunicaciones y Energía, S.L. - Leader, Gate Manufacturers (Spain) • Acciona Infraestructuras, S.A. - (Spain) • Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, S.A. - (Spain) • Hochtief Construction AG - (Germany) • Constructoras ICA S.A. de C.V. - (Mexico) Designers (subcontractors): • Sener Ingeniería y Sistemas, S.A. - (Spain) • Haskoning Nederland BV - (Holland) • Hochtief Consult - (Germany) • Mott Macdonald Limited - (United Kingdom) Gate Manufacturers: • ACS Servicios, Comunicaciones y Energía, S.L. - (Spain) Consorcio Atlántico-Pacífico de Panamá Consortium Members: • Bouygues Travaux Publics - Leader (France) • Bilfinger Berger - (Germany) • VINCI Construction Grands Projets - (France) • Construcoes e Comercio Camargo Correa S.A. - (Brazil) • Construtora Andrade Gutierrez S.A. - (Brazil) • Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A. - (Brazil) • ALSTOM Hydro Energia Brasil - (France) • BARDELLA Industrias Mecánicas - (Brazil) Designers (subcontractor): • AECOM - Leader (United States) Gate Manufacturers: • ALSTOM Hydro Energia Brasil - (France)

Bechtel, Taisei, Mitsubishi Corporation Consortium Members: • Bechtel Internacional, Inc. - Leader (United States) • Taisei Corporation - (Japan) • Mitsubishi Corporation - (Japan) Designers: • Bechtel Internacional, Inc. - Leader (United States) Gate Manufacturers (subcontractor): • Wuchang Shipyard - (China) Grupo Unidos por el Canal Consortium Members: • Sacyr Vallehermoso S.A. - Leader (Spain) • Impregilo S.p.A. - (Italy) • Jan de Nul n.v. - (Belgium) • Constructora Urbana, S.A. - (Panama) Designers (subcontractors): • Montgomery Watson Harza (MWH) - Leader (United States) • IV-Groep - (Holland) • Tetra Tech - (United States) Gate Manufacturers (subcontractor): • Heerema Fabrication Group - (Holland)