RFQ for $16B Hudson River Tunnel Delivery Partner Seeks Candidates

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
Gateway projects
Gateway Development Commission

The Gateway Development Commission says at least 80 companies plan to attend an informational meeting related to its Request for Qualifications about the planned $16.1-billion Hudson River tunnel project, according to a report by ENR.

Firms interested in being the commission’s project delivery partner must respond by April 3. A shortlist of the contenders is expected to be released by May 1, according to the ENR report.

The commission—jointly created by New York and New Jersey to oversee the tunnel project and other rail infrastructure work in the region—is coordinating with Amtrak to find a project delivery partner to provide services including design management, construction management, coordination, field representation and monitoring, according to RFQ documents.

Stephen Sigmund, Gateway’s chief of public outreach, told ENR the delivery partner would not take over project delivery but would act as a partner to the commission working as a project manager and consultant. The partner would serve in terms of capability and expertise and would not provide design or construction services on the project, while the commission would remain the publicly accountable entity, Sigmund said.

In a December press release, the commission said the project delivery partner that is ultimately selected will be expected to build the commission’s financial, legal and technical capabilities. 

“This innovative approach to delivering the Hudson Tunnel Project is the kind of outside-the-box thinking we must bring on this critical project,” said New Jersey Commissioner and GDC Co-Chair Balpreet Grewal-Virk. “Private industry has told us they are ready to partner and help make sure the Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project is built. This moves us another big step in that direction.”

Sigmund explained to ENR that the delivery partner “is basically a project management consultant in the sense that [it’s] providing the arms and the legs, and a lot of technical expertise and capability that a special purpose entity like [Gateway] won’t have.” 

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