DOTD receives significant interest in first solicited public private partnership
Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 10:29:17 AM
Baton Rouge - On Tuesday, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development received six responses to their Request for Qualifications issued on April 27 from private companies interested in contracting with the Department for the Belle Chasse Bridge and Tunnel replacement project. The companies representing the six responses make up a diverse and competitive field of internationally notable institutions.
“This week’s submissions serve as validation that Louisiana is ripe for innovative methods to deliver an infrastructure system and projects our citizens deserve,” said Secretary Shawn Wilson, Ph.D. “The intertwining of the public and private sector will be vital going forward as DOTD seeks to tackle our $13.9 billion backlog.”
The public private partnership, also known as P3, that’s being sought after will be the first project where DOTD will use this innovative contracting method to deliver the infrastructure to the traveling public. DOTD received approval of the Louisiana Joint Transportation Committee to utilize the P3 contracting process to deliver the new Belle Chasse bridge structure. The recommendation to advertise and solicit a P3 was approved mid-December 2017.
An evaluation team will assess the responses submitted yesterday and a short list of proposers will be produced from that process. That short list of proposers will continue to participate in the procurement process by submitting a response to DOTD’s Request for Proposal, set to be issued this fall.
In accordance with national best practices for P3 procurement, the firm names of the respondents will be released at a later time deemed appropriate.
More information on the project will be made available at www.dotd.la.gov as the procurement process permits. All feedback and media inquiries should be sent to a ABTR-BelleChasse@la.gov.