NRIC selected contractors to complete the railway line to Skopje

The National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC) has taken a step towards completing the Bulgarian section of Trans-European Railway Corridor 8 by selecting contractors for two of the most strategic sites on the route to the Republic of North Macedonia. Within a single day (December 19), the state-owned company signed the decisions to select contractors for the Pernik-Radomir and Gyueshevo – North Macedonia border sections, bringing the total value of planned investments on this route to over half a billion leva.

We would like to remind you that the tenders were launched in July this year. At the end of September, seven participants joined the procedure for the railway section between Pernik and Radomir, and four for the route between Gyueshevo and North Macedonia.

The projects are co-financed by the European Union under the Transport Connectivity Program 2021-2027.

The Pernik – Radomir section

For the modernization of the 17-kilometer railway line between Pernik and Radomir, the consortium "ISPA," comprising the companies "Interconecta" EOOD and "SA.I.E" EOOD, was selected. The consortium won the contract with a total score of 100 points and a proposed contract price exceeding BGN 421.2 million excluding VAT. The estimated value of the tender was BGN 462 million.

This project is extremely complex, as it involves complete engineering, including the construction of two new tunnels with lengths of 881 and 400 meters, respectively, as well as a complete modernization of the safety equipment systems at Pernik station. To carry out these specific activities, the winner will rely on the experience of international subcontractors in the form of Porr Bau – Sofia Branch and the technology giant Alstom Transport.

The lead partner, Interconecta EOOD, is owned by the company Property Stan. The company is managed by Kamelia Taskova.

SAI EOOD was founded in 2013 under a different name – SA Investment and Engineering. The current name was changed in 2015. The company is based in Sofia and its business activities are related to the construction and supervision of various infrastructure projects. Since 2021, the sole owner of the capital has been "VP Stroy Engineering."

Recently, "SA.I.E." Ltd. participated in a tender for the construction of the Vertical Gas Corridor, submitting bids in a consortium with companies from the United States and Romania.

The procedure for the Pernik – Radomir section was marked by an unprecedented number of disqualified participants. Five of the seven candidates, including large consortia around Geostroy, GP Group, Trace Group Hold, and PST Group, were disqualified due to technical deficiencies in their proposals.

The main reason for their disqualification was their failure to comply with the requirement to plan technological "windows" for mandatory testing of the contact network and equipment at maximum speed. According to the NKZI commission, these omissions pose a risk to the security of the railway system and the safety of citizens, which made their bids unsuitable for the previously announced criteria.

The deadline for completion is mid-2029.

The section between Gyueshevo and North Macedonia

In parallel with the large-scale project near Pernik, the NRIC also confirmed the selection of a contractor for the missing link in the corridor – the section from Gyueshevo station to the border with North Macedonia. The winner here is DZZD "Gyueshevo 2025," composed of Trace Group Hold AD and VDH AD. Their commitment includes not only the construction of the 2.4-kilometer new route, but also the complete reconstruction of Gyueshevo railway station, which will function as a modern border crossing point.

The value of the bid is BGN 97.9 million excluding VAT, and it has undergone a financial audit due to its significantly lower price compared to the other participants. We would like to remind you that the estimated value of the tender was BGN 114 million excluding VAT.

The deadline for completion of the project is the end of 2028.

The selected contractor, DZZD "Gyueshevo 2025," will rely on the expertise of two subcontractors – Eurotransproject Ltd. and Balkantel Ltd., which will take on specific parts of the project.

The design company Eurotransproject Ltd. will perform activities representing 3% of the total volume of the contract. The company's commitment covers the design of the working plans for the road surface at Gyueshevo station, the overpass in the area, as well as part of the telecommunications systems and the exercise of author's supervision.

A more significant share of 12% has been entrusted to BalkanTel Ltd., which will be responsible for the design and construction of the signaling and telecommunications systems in the section.

The leading partner in the winning consortium, Trace Group Hold AD, is one of the largest public construction companies in Bulgaria. The company has experience in the implementation of international and national transport projects, including the construction of the Sofia Metro and the rehabilitation of major railway lines.

The other participant in the consortium, VDH AD, is a company that is part of the corporate group of construction entrepreneur Veliko Zhelev. The company, formerly known as Vodstroy 98, has undergone a complete rebranding and is now closely integrated with Hidrostroy.

Translated with DeepL.