Three international consortia are in the running to build and run two Sydney light rail networks.
The light rail project, set to start construction this year, will link Circular Quay and Central station with the SCG and Randwick Racecourse.
The shortlisted bidders are SydneyConnect (Serco, John Holland and Plenary Group), iLinQ (Keolis Downer, Balfour Beatty, McConnell Dowell, Bombardier and Macquarie Capital) and Connecting Sydney (Transdev, Alstom Transport Australia and Capella Capital).
"These firms bring significant experience in working on similar scale projects, both here in Australia and right across the world," NSW Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said.
"It is very encouraging that the strong participation in market sounding and industry briefings last year has translated into responses from high quality firms."
The major contract will cover design, construction, services relocations, operation and maintenance of the 12-kilometre project, as well as the operation and maintenance of the Inner West Light Rail network.
"This project will be complex and difficult to deliver, with unavoidable impacts, so the depth of knowledge across the three consortia will undoubtedly bring global experience to Sydney's transport challenges," Brendan Lyon, from peak body Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, said.
