Gateway Program procurement processes and opportunities

The Port of Vancouver plays a vital economic role in Canada by connecting consumers and businesses with the global marketplace. As we manage the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19, the safety and health of our employees and stakeholders is our top priority. We are also continuing our work to deliver essential trade-enabling projects.

Between 2020 and 2025, the port authority is taking a lead role in delivering several infrastructure projects throughout the Lower Mainland in collaboration with industry and other local, provincial, and federal agencies. These projects have a cumulative value of nearly $1 billion. The projects are a subset of the Gateway Transportation Collaboration Forum’s Greater Vancouver Gateway 2030 strategy.

The port authority is also leading the delivery of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project and the Centerm Expansion Project. Learn more about the procurement approach for the delivery of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project here.

The projects range in value from approximately $10 to $150 million and generally involve improvements or construction of roadway overpasses or underpasses of active rail lines and complementary improvements to the adjacent rail infrastructure (led by the relevant railway).

As we prepare to deliver these projects, we will engage contractors and consultants through questionnaires, conversations, and events. It is important to us that the opportunities are provided in a way that is fair, open, transparent, and accessible to qualified vendors. We procure all goods and services in accordance with our procurement policy, which is approved by our board of directors.

The information provided on this webpage and other linked documents is intended to provide background on current and future bidding opportunities.

Funding for projects

Funding for road and rail infrastructure projects that are moving forward has been secured from the port authority, railways, and the Government of Canada through the National Trade Corridors Fund.

Delivery model and bidding procedure

We will select the delivery model for each of our projects based on their unique characteristics. However, we anticipate that larger, more complex infrastructure projects will follow design-build or progressive design build delivery models, and smaller scale projects will follow more traditional procurement methods (such as design-bid-build).

Environmental, community, and industry standards

Following our green infrastructure guidelines for all projects, we deliver high quality projects with the environment and community in mind, in alignment with our vision for the Port of Vancouver to be the world’s most sustainable port. As an example, our North Vancouver Low Level Road project, completed in 2015, received the first Envision Platinum Award for transportation infrastructure.

We are also committed to ensuring safe and equitable working conditions for employees and contractors on our construction project worksites. As part of this commitment, the port authority is a proud signatory to the Builders Code Pledge, which sets a standard of excellence in the construction industry. Signing the Builders Code Pledge is one way we deliver high-quality projects with industry best practices in mind, and we are encouraging our partners to also sign the pledge.

Indigenous participation in construction

Meaningful inclusion of Indigenous groups is of paramount importance for us and we work closely with them in the planning of projects. This can take various forms, including partnerships, contracting, training, employment, and provision of equipment and materials.

Criteria for evaluating contractor proposals

In reviewing proposals for infrastructure contractors, we consider a number of factors that may include:

• Approach, demonstrated experience and past project performance in
  • Safety management
  • Traffic management
  • Quality management
  • Environmental management
  • Sustainable infrastructure delivery
• The selected procurement delivery model
• Approach to participation by Indigenous groups
• Experience working with the relevant municipality and railways
• Experience working next to active rail and road corridors
• Experience working in soft soils with high ground water tables

Full criteria for each individual procurement will be outlined in each project’s procurement documents, e.g. request for qualifications (RFQ), request for proposals (RFP), and invitation to tender (ITT).

Overview of projects

In procurement planning / procurement phase

 

Project	Anticipated		Target dates				Last updated
	Estimated cost	Delivery model	RFQ issuance	RFP/ITT issuance	Construction commencement	Construction completion
Annacis Auto Terminal Optimization Project – Vehicle Processing Centre Construction	$16.5M	Design-Bid-Build	Q3 2022	Phase 1: Closed Phase 2: Q2 2023 (RFT to RFQ shortlist only)	Phase 1: Q1 2023 Phase 2: Q3 2023	Q3 2024	June 8, 2023
Fraser Surrey Port Lands Transportation Improvements Project (Surrey/Delta)	$20M	Design-Bid-Build	NA	Closed	Q3 2023	Q3 2024	June 8, 2023
Harris Road grade separation (Pitt Meadows)	$60–80M	Progressive Design-Build	Closed	Q1 2022 (RFP to RFQ shortlist only)	Q4 2023	2026/2027	Nov 29, 2022
Holdom overpass (Burnaby)	$130–160M	Design-Build	Closed	Q2 2022	Q2 2023	Q3 2025	Aug 10, 2022
Kennedy overpass (Pitt Meadows)	$40–50M	Design-Build	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Aug 10, 2022

In execution phase

Project	Target dates		Last updated
	Procurement	Construction
South Shore Access Project (Vancouver)	Complete	2019–2023 (on track to complete construction in Q1 2023)	January 12, 2022

Gateway project procurement documents

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