Romania's Government launches auction for new Pitesti-Craiova highway

Romania’s national roads company – CNAIR has launched a public auction for a feasibility study and projection services for the new Pitesti-Craiova highway in Southern Romania. The estimated value of this contract is between EUR 8.7 million and EUR 10.3 million. The authorities initially wanted to have the 125-kilometer highway built in concession, via a public-private partnership, but have changed the plan after including it in the Transport Master Plan. Thus, the highway will be financed mainly from EU funds. The companies interested in this contract can submit their offers to CNAIR until January 12, 2017, and the offers will be assessed until February 6, 2017. The winner will have 24 months to come up with the feasibility study and the plan for the new highway. The Pitesti-Craiova highway is also known as the “Ford highway” as Ford is the biggest investor in Craiova. The construction of this highway was one of the Government’s promises to Ford, which announced that it would invest EUR 200 million in Craiova to start the production of the Ford EcoSport SUV at its factory there. Ford currently produces the B-Max mode at Craiova, but has failed to meet the production volumes it had promised when taking over the plant in 2007. editor@romania-insider.com