London Underground has today issued a call for expressions of interest in the US$391M – US$782M Bank Station Capacity Upgrade Project. Works for the ambitious re-modelling of one of London’s busiest tube stations include the constructing a 570m long new section of the southbound Northern Line tunnel and the transformation of the existing southbound platform and running tunnel area into a new concourse and passage area.
It is anticipated that the contract will be NEC3 based with appropriate “Z” clause modifications and secondary options, and will be awarded to the most economically advantageous tender. Works are due to start in June 2013 with completion scheduled for the end of December 2021. The deadline for application of expressions of interest is 5pm on the 19th December this year.
One of the key objectives in coming to the market at this early stage, say London Underground, is to provide an opportunity for entities with the relevant capability and capacity to bring their skills and experience to bear on the project, to identify significant cost, risk, programme, and other benefits. To this end London Underground are looking in particular to pre-qualify those entities best able to bring innovative ideas forward to identify and deliver the significant cost, risk, programme, and other benefits that may exist.
The scope of this innovation includes but is not limited to:
- Arrangement of underground works
- Construction site arrangement including land take, secondary sites
- Constructability, sequencing, logistics, traffic management
- Methodology and construction techniques
- Oversite development
- Optimum incentivisation for payment during the design and construction periods
London Underground has developed the Bank station capacity upgrade (SCU) project to an outline design stage to provide an increase in the circulation area for the Northern Line platforms by constructing the new 570m southbound Northern Line tunnel. Additionally new large cross passages linking the newly formed concourse to the new southbound platform will be required as will new passageways, stairways and escalators to link the northern line to other lines.
In order for London Underground to progress the project it will be necessary to further develop the design, secure funding, and obtain relevant consents and planning permissions and powers, including making a Transport and Works Act (TWA) Order application to the Secretary of State for Transport, and a planning application for oversite development to the Corporation of London. It will be necessary for London underground to pursue procurement of a supplier through this procurement process in parallel with its TWA order and planning applications. London Underground is seeking to appoint an entity (single company or a consortium) with the capability and capacity to provide support to the ongoing development and delivery of the project including but not limited to:
1. Design and design assurance of civil engineering, tunnelling, drainage, systems fit out (signage, lifts & escalators, fare collection, fire, mechanical, lighting, power, communications), signalling, and permanent way
2. Construction of civil engineering, tunnelling, drainage, systems fit out (signage, lifts & escalators, fare collection, fire, mechanical, lighting, power, communications), signalling, and permanent way
3. Project management (management of project, programme, cost & commercial, risk, value management, traffic management, logistics, stakeholders)
4. Land assembly and property advice
5. Transport and Works Act Order application advice. The scope of the proposed works may encompass other activities and/or omissions as the project develops which will not be subject to a separate contract notice
This complex and high profile project is to be carried out on one of the busiest and most complex interchange stations on the network, in the vicinity of busy road junctions and through routes for traffic, in the vicinity of a number of Grade 1 listed and other significant heritage properties, whist minimising disruption as far as practicable to passengers and neighbours.
Comments: