Three groups have submitted bids for an estimated SR20bn ($5bn) contract to develop and operate the Asir-Jizan highway project on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis.

According to sources close to the project, the consortiums that bid are:

• Lamar Holding (local) / Shaanxi Construction Engineering (China) / Safari (local)
• Vision Invest (local) / China Harbour Engineering Company (China)
• Plenary (Australia) / Alayuni (local) / Limak Holding (Turkey) / Nesma & Partners (local)

Saudi Arabia’s Roads General Authority, the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP and the Aseer Development Authority (Asda) are the government agencies managing the tender and project.

The 136-kilometre Asir-Jizan highway will have three lanes in each direction and include six intersections, 57 bridges totalling 18km and 11 tunnels totalling 9km.

The project is one of four planned highway schemes in the kingdom’s privatisation and public-private partnership pipeline.

The route begins in Al-Farah in Asir and extends to the Red Sea through Jizan. The 30-year contract will follow a design, build, finance, operate and maintain model.