Downer JV wins road maintenance deal

Transport Minister Troy Buswell has announced a joint venture featuring contracting group Downer EDI has won its third significant road maintenance deal, this time a $152 million contract in the Kimberley.

DownerMouchel, a joint venture comprising Downer EDI Works and Mouchel International, was awarded the contract for an initial five-year period, adding to its maintenance contracts for the Metropolitan and Gascoyne & Mid West regions.

Mr Buswell said the announcement was the fifth relationship-based arrangement to be awarded as the current long-term road maintenance contracts reach expiry.

"These new arrangements are more than just road maintenance contracts, they provide aspects of road network operations, operational asset management, maintenance delivery, some minor capital works (projects less than $3 million in value), and project and contract management services.

"The ISA selection process aimed to ultimately identify the best value from private sector partners and considered which Integrated Service providers were most likely to form an effective collaborative relationship with Main Roads WA.

"DownerMouchel will have the potential of extending its contract period based on the company's performance over the next five years."

Mr Buswell said the remaining two contracts would be announced over the next three months.

The preferred bidders for these contracts are Macmahon Contractors for the Pilbara and Abigroup Contractors for the Goldfields-Esperance region.

The other winning proponents were Fulton Hogan, which will maintain roads in the South West and Great Southern region, and a consortium featuring Leighton Holdings, Leighton Opus, which will maintain the Wheatbelt's roads.