Hoy newspaper reveals that the Ministry of Public Works has changed the terms for the tender regarding the tramway along Av. John F. Kennedy. According to the newspaper, six of the seven companies that were bidding said they will quit the tender in protest for the last minute change in terms. The Ministry of Public Works in an addendum to the tender terms now requires that the technology that is chosen have been proven for at least five years. The companies say this eliminates companies that are offering new state of the art technologies. The addendum from the Ministry of Public Works is dated 17 March 2000. The companies that are pre-qualified are Alstom (France), Bombardier (Canada), Siemens (Germany), Caf-Necso-Dimetronics-Elecnor (Spain), Adtranz (Germany), Raytheon (US) and Fiat-Ferroviaria (Italy.). Sources told Hoy newspaper that the government already has made up its mind who should win the bid to build the 11 km. first stretch of the tramway system over John F. Kennedy Avenue. The newspaper says it wants one of the two German companies to win. Reportedly, the company would import trains that have been in use for more than five years.
