The Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) intends to award the Coentunnel Capacity Expansion project to Coentunnel Company BV. The GATEwest consortium – in which Strukton Integrale Projecten participates as a sponsor – came in second.

The Coentunnel Capacity Expansion project is a DBFM (Design, Build, Finance, Maintain) contract with a term of approx. 29 years (of which 5 years for construction and renovation) and representing a total net cash value of around € 500 million. In addition to the construction of a second tunnel, the contract also includes the renovation of the first tunnel and subsequent maintenance of both tunnels. Modifying and expanding the feeder road network and adjusting and expanding the traffic signal systems where necessary also fall within the project’s scope. After more than a year and a half of focusing intensively on competition-oriented dialogue, Strukton is now joining forces with GATEwest in relation to the project. Other parties within the GATEwest consortium include ABN AMRO, Ballast Nedam, Van Oord and GTI, and a group of external specialists. 

Despite the major disappointment, Paul Peekel of Strukton Integrale Projecten and project director of GATEwest accepts the outcome with his head held high: "As GATEwest, we have been deemed most capable of interpreting the requirements and adding the most value in relation to the requirements set by the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management. We presented a schedule with the earliest delivery date of all the parties and scored the highest in relation to quality. In terms of price, we stretched the limits together in relation to all technical and financial disciplines. From the outcome it appears that we left no stone unturned that could have generated a profit. We can truly afford to be proud of our offer. In securing second place, we outperformed three large consortiums of significant standing. We invested a great deal in this controversial DBMF tender and the knowledge and experience gained will stand us in good stead in the future."