Maryland recently issued its Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) for the Purple Line light rail transit project, Maryland’s first public-private partnership (“P3”) under Maryland’s revised P3 law that took effect July 1, 2013. As we have previously reported, the Purple Line light rail transit project is planned to run through Montgomery and Prince George’s counties from Bethesda to New Carrollton, Maryland. Maryland intends to solicit a single private partner who will be responsible for designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining the project. The private partner will also help finance a portion of construction.
Next Steps
The deadline for qualification submissions by interested concessionaires is December 10, 2013 at 12:00 p.m. EST. The Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Transit Administration intend to review the responses and announce up to four shortlisted proposers in January 2014. After potential concessionaires are shortlisted, the plan is to circulate the first industry review draft of the request for proposals (“RFP”) to the shortlisted proposers in January 2014. The second industry review draft of the RFP is anticipated in March 2014, along with the pre-approval of vehicle suppliers submitted by the proposers. Maryland currently plans to issue the final RFP in May 2014, with a proposal due date of October 2014, award and execution of the P3 agreement in the winter 2014/2015, and financial closing in the spring 2015.
We will continue to monitor and report on these exciting P3 developments in Maryland and throughout the country.
Jason C. Tomasulo is Senior Counsel at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC. He focuses his practice on construction law and represents owners, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and sureties.