The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has officially invited local and foreign firms to participate in the bidding for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
In a bid notice, the agency said the process is open to qualified parties under the project’s bidding documents and relevant laws. Instructions to bidders will be released on October 20, while the tentative deadline for bid submission is set for May 29, 2026. A non-refundable participation fee of P1.16 million is required to access bid documents and the virtual data room.
The DOTr emphasized that the implementing agencies reserve the right to reject bids, declare a bidding failure, or cancel the process without explanation.
The NSCR, a flagship project under the “Build Better More” program, is a 148-kilometer rail network with 37 stations and 464 train cars. It spans three segments—PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban-Malolos), PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark), and PNR Calamba (Solis-Calamba)—and will run through 26 cities and municipalities across Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Calabarzon.
Once fully operational, the project aims to serve over 800,000 passengers daily, with the Clark-Valenzuela segment expected to begin service by 2028.
Among the companies that previously expressed interest in the project are Mitsubishi Corp., Hitachi Ltd., Tokyo Metro, Sumitomo Corp., Alstom Japan, and French rail operators. The DOTr also conducted market sounding sessions in Japan, Singapore, France, and Manila.
The agency said the goal is to partner with a qualified operator to ensure efficient, safe, and world-class rail service that supports sustainable urban mobility.
