The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) is expected to sign a contract with the winning bidder to supply 489 NGV-fuelled buses early next week with the first batch of 50 buses scheduled for delivery next month.
Acting BMTA director Pranee Sukrasorn said the contract signing with JVCC, the consortium that offered the lowest price for the fleet, is tentatively set for Monday. Delivery of the entire fleet should be completed within 90 days of the contract signing, she said.
Ms Pranee said the contract was being examined by the Office of the Attorney-General and is expected to be forwarded to the BMTA board, chaired by national deputy police chief Aek Angsananont, for approval today. The contract is divided into two parts: Part one involves the procurement of the 489 NGV buses and the other concerns a 10-year maintenance plan for the vehicles under a budget of 4.023 billion baht.
JVCC offered the lowest price in the bidding process — about 100,000 baht below the median price per bus or 3.55 million baht each.
The maintenance costs for the fleet are also divided into two periods: 825.5 million baht for the first five years and 1.46 billion baht for the last five years of the contract.
The procurement of the NGV buses is part of a BMTA plan to replace its ageing fleet of 3,183 buses.
Ms Pranee said three natural gas filling stations in Samae Dam, Bang Khen, and Rangsit will initially serve the fleet.