Metrolinx, Infrastructure Ontario and the Toronto Transit continue to move forward on a commitment to improving public transit in the Greater Toronto Area with the release of a request for proposals to the three teams short-listed for the new Sheppard East Maintenance and Storage Facility project.

The new Sheppard East MSF, an essential part of the Sheppard East LRT project, will house new light rail vehicles operating on the Sheppard East LRT and will include facilities to serve the upgraded Scarborough RT, part of the Metrolinx Big 5 priority rapid transit projects. A car-house, storage track, maintenance of way building, brake test track and traction power substation also will be included in the new maintenance and storage facility.

Companies from all over the world participated in a rigorous competitive request for qualifications (RFQ) process that reviewed and evaluated their design, construction, maintenance and financing abilities to deliver the new MSF. From this process, six teams pre-qualified for the project and the three highest scoring ones have been short-listed to submit proposals.

The short-listed bidders include: Plenary Infrastructure, Sheppard Facility Development Group and SNC-Lavalin. The three remaining pre-qualified teams will be held in reserve to replace any short-listed bidder that is unable to participate.

Infrastructure Ontario, Metrolinx and the TTC will evaluate the RFP submissions, select a preferred proposal, and then negotiate a final contract. The entire process will be overseen by a fairness monitor and the successful team will be announced in 2011. A copy of the RFP is available on Infrastructure Ontario's website at www.infrastructureontario.ca.

The federal government will provide up to a maximum of C$333 million, from the Building Canada Fund for funding the Sheppard East LRT and the Sheppard component of the MSF projects. The province of Ontario and Metrolinx will be responsible for the remaining costs.

Metrolinx, the owner of the Sheppard East LRT, and Infrastructure Ontario will work with the Toronto Transit Commission to deliver the new Sheppard East MSF.