£7bn Irish Metrolink civils deals go to market

On behalf of the MetroLink programme, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) , has commenced the process of selecting prospective bidders to tender for the major civil infrastructure packages for the M401 and M402 contracts.

Tara Street station on the new Dublin MetroLink network.

These contracts represent a pivotal milestone for MetroLink, encompassing the delivery of the programme's heavy civil engineering works. Collectively, the packages include tunnelling, track alignment preparation, stations, and a wide range of structures such as bridges, viaducts, and tunnels, forming the core physical infrastructure of Ireland’s first metro system. 

Anne Shaw

NTA Chief Executive Officer, Anne Shaw, added: “MetroLink is central to the National Transport Authority’s strategy to deliver a fully integrated, high-capacity public transport network for the Greater Dublin Area.

"By advancing these contracts, we are laying the foundations for a system that will significantly increase public transport capacity, improve connectivity to the airport and key destinations, and support Ireland’s climate and sustainability objectives over the coming decades.”

Lorcan O’Connor

TII Chief Executive, Lorcan O’Connor, stated: “This announcement is an important milestone in the MetroLink journey.  It is the beginning of a process that will ultimately identify the organisations that will deliver the main civil engineering works associated with MetroLink.

"It also highlights the importance of collaboration between the state and private sectors. On behalf of TII, I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in achieving this important milestone and continued success toward the delivery of the MetroLink programme.”

Dr. Seán Sweeney

MetroLink Programme Director, Dr. Seán Sweeney, welcomed the landmark milestone, saying: “The publication of the M401 and M402 contract notices marks a major milestone for the MetroLink programme and formally commences the procurement process to select prospective bidders for our major civil works.

"This is a significant step forward in delivering Ireland’s first metro system. Reaching this point is the result of sustained effort and collaboration, and I want to acknowledge the leadership and support of the Minister, the National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, our many stakeholders, as well as the dedication and hard work of the wider MetroLink programme team. Their commitment and expertise have been instrumental in bringing the programme to this important stage.” 

Procurement Approach

• The procurement process begins with a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) stage, which constitutes the initial screening phase of the competition.

• The PQQ stage is designed to assess a bidder’s capability to deliver the contract before they are invited to submit a full tender.

• Following the completion of the PQQ process, a shortlist of pre-qualified applicants will be invited to submit detailed tenders for the M401 and M402 contracts.

The maximum combined contract value stated in the Contract Notice is €7.9 billion (excl. VAT), which includes construction works and services, inflation and risk costs for both M401 and M402 contracts. The selected Contractors will be asked to prepare bids and TII expects the tenders to be considerably less than the Contract Notice values.

Contracts have gone live on the eTenders website and can be found on the OJEU website up to 24/48 hours later.