The government is inviting contractors to bid for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Kigali-Muhanga road.
Bids must be submitted not later August 11, 2026, according to a public notice signed by the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) Director General, Imena Munyampenda, on June 8.
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All bids must be accompanied by a bid security of $1.5 million.
The government has secured a $120.4 million loan from the Export-Import Bank of Korea, through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of the Republic of Korea, to finance the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Kigali-Muhanga Road.
The works under this project comprise the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Kigali-Muhanga road in order to improve road safety, reduce travel time and transport costs, and provide a climate-resilient, all-weather road.
The construction period is set at 36 months covering all necessary civil works, such as pavement improvement, drainage and bridge works, as well as ancillary road safety facilities.
According to RTDA, the key features of the road will include a 16.4-kilometre four-lane carriageway, a 29.3-kilometre two-lane carriageway, 12.13 kilometres of climbing lanes, and 2.4 kilometres of waiting lanes. The four-lane sections will have widths ranging from 25.5 metres to 27.5 metres, while the two-lane sections will range from 11 metres to 18 metres in width.
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Other features include asphalt concrete pavement, the 135-metre Nyabarongo Bridge, the 15-metre Kayumbu Bridge, and 30 at-grade intersections.
Qualification criteria
Bidding will be conducted through Competitive Bidding (CB) procedures specified in the Guidelines for Procurement under EDCF Loans and is open to all eligible bidders, provided that the bidder, whether participating individually or as part of a Joint Venture (JV), meets the minimum qualification criteria.
In the case of a Joint Venture, RTDA explained that the requirements relating to nationality and construction experience over the past five years must be satisfied individually by each member. However, requirements relating to successfully completed projects, key activities, and financial capacity may be fulfilled through the combined performance of all JV members, unless otherwise specified.
Bidders must be Korean
According to the qualification criteria, the bidder must be of Korean nationality.
The bidder must also have experience under civil construction contracts in the role of contractor, subcontractor, or management contractor for at least five years.
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In addition, the bidder must have successfully completed, or substantially completed, within the last 10 years, at least one road construction project of 10 kilometres or more featuring four or more lanes with asphalt concrete pavement, either in Korea or overseas, in which the bidder’s participation value (contract amount shareholding ratio) was at least $50 million.
In the case of a Joint Venture, this requirement may be satisfied if at least one member of the JV meets the specified criteria.
The bidder must also demonstrate construction experience in key activities from contracts executed within the 10 years prior to the bid commencement date, including a minimum of 380,000 cubic metres of normal excavation, 30,000 cubic metres of hard rock excavation, and 100 metres of bridge construction.
The bidder must demonstrate sound financial capacity, including the submission of audited financial statements for the past three years, as required in the bidding documents. Pending litigation must not exceed 75 per cent of the bidder’s net worth.
The bidder must also demonstrate a minimum average annual construction turnover of $50 million over the past three years, as well as financial resources, net of current commitments, of at least $10 million for the subject contract.
The bidder must propose the required key personnel and submit their duly signed Curriculum Vitae (CVs) in the format provided in the bidding documents, together with supporting certificates where applicable.
The bidder must also demonstrate compliance with quality, safety, and environmental management systems, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, or their equivalent.
In the case of a Joint Venture, the bidder must demonstrate access to key construction equipment, whether owned, leased, or secured through acceptable arrangements.