Two Proposals Participate in the Competition for Development of Expanded Conceptual Design of Struma Мotorway, Krupnik – Kresna Section

Two proposals participate in the competition for the development of expanded conceptual design and plot plan of Struma motorway, lot 3.2, in the section between Krupnik and Kresna – left carriageway of approximate length 23,8 km and Kresna bypass – part of the right carriageway of approximate length 5,45 km.

Road Infrastructure Agency initiated public procedure for road section design through Kresna Gorge in November last year.

The purpose of the competition procedure is for the Agency to obtain expanded conceptual design, detailed geodetic mapping, and engineering and geological survey and plotting plan for that motorway section which will be used later as reference for award of detailed design and construction of the left carriageway of Struma Motorway in the section between Krupnik and Kresna, and Kresna bypass – part of the right carriageway.

Applicants’ proposals, without disclosing their identity, will be reviewed and evaluated by a jury of experts nominated by industry and academia – Bulgarian Construction  Chamber,  Chamber of Engineers in Investment Design, Bulgarian Branch Chamber "Roads", Institute of Biodiversity  and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, etc. Jury members will be:

• Prof. Dr. Eng. Rumen Milanov, representative of the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering & Geodesy; 
• Prof. Dr. Eng. Valentin Nikolov, representative of Todor Kableshkov Higher School of Transport, .  
• Eng. Geol. Radslav Varbanov, representative of St. Ivan Rilski University of Mining & Geology; 
• Prof. Dr. Dilyanka Bezlova, representative of University of Forestry, Sofia, 
• Prof. Valko Biserkov, representative of  BAS Institute of Biodiversity  and Ecosystem Research;
• Arch. Petar Dikov, representative of Bulgarian Transport Infrastructure Forum Society. 
• Eng. Ivan Atanasov, representative of  Chamber of Engineers in Investment Design;
• Eng. Pavel Dikovski, representative of Bulgarian Branch Chamber "Roads",
• Eng. Miroslav Maznev, representative of Bulgarian Construction  Chamber;
• Eng. Petko Tabakov, representative of Bulgarian Road Safety Branch Association;
• Veselin Grozdanov, representative of Green Transport Cluster; 
• Eng. Elena Asenova, senior expert at RIA Public Procurement Directorate;
• Stanislava Kostova, senior legal counsel at RIA Public Procurement Directorate;

Alternate jury members will be: 

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Chavdar Kolev, representative of Todor Kableshkov Higher School of Transport;
• Prof. Dr. Eng. Mihail Galabov, representative of St. Ivan Rilski University of Mining & Geology.

Bids will be evaluated according to pre-announced methodology. The overall score includes economic and technical indicators. Economic indicators include design cost of construction. In technical terms, the highest score will receive the project offering the best technical, safest and most sustainable design solution.  Assessment methodology includes indicators such as total length of road section with longitudinal gradient equal to or higher than 4%; total length of tunnels equal to, or 400 m, etc. Geological analysis of road terrain is a particularly important component of the development and implementation of a complex infrastructure project such as lot 3.2 of Struma Motorway. Hence, the focus is on the number of boreholes in tunnel sections, deep excavations and high embankments.  

The competition will award prizes. The Prize fund is BGN 2 500 000 for 3 prizes – first place – 85%, second place – 10% and third lace – 5 %. The prize fund entails rights of usage for the Compacting Authority.