Chubu Bureau to open competitive bidding for Kumano No. 4 Tunnel

The Chubu Regional Development Bureau published Bidding Notice (Construction Work) No. 1 in Extra Government Procurement No. 179, dated September 29, 2026, announcing that the FY2026 Kumano Road Kumano No. 4 Tunnel Construction will be subject to general competitive bidding. The construction site is located in Arima-cho, Kumano City, Mie Prefecture, and will serve as a trial for automated construction technology aimed at reducing labor in mountain tunnel construction. The notice was issued in the name of Taku Nishimura, Director General of the Chubu Regional Development Bureau and the Expenditure Burden Officer, and is listed with Procurement Agency Number 020 and Location Number 23.

Extra Government Procurement No. 179 is a government procurement notice publication issued by the Cabinet Office, which lists procurements subject to government procurement agreements. Participation qualifications require that applicants do not fall under the provisions of Articles 70 and 71 of the Budget, Settlement of Accounts and Accounting Order (Imperial Ordinance No. 165 of 1947) and must have received certification for general competitive participation qualifications for general civil engineering works for FY2025 and FY2026 at the Chubu Regional Development Bureau (excluding port and airport-related works).

Construction Overview and Technical Features of Labor-Saving Construction

• Project Name: FY2026 Kumano Road Kumano No. 4 Tunnel Construction (Subject to Electronic Bidding) (Subject to Electronic Contract)
• Construction Location: Arima-cho, Kumano City, Mie Prefecture
• Scope of Work: Total length L=920m, tunnel length (NATM) L=615m, road earthworks (1 set), tunnel work (blasting method) (1 set), invert work (1 set), tunnel ancillary work (1 set), excavation auxiliary work (1 set), portal work (1 set), drainage structure work (1 set), temporary work (1 set)
• Construction Period: From the day following the contract conclusion date until September 28, 2029 (However, the start date of construction must be set by April 1, 2027)
• Primary Materials and Equipment: Concrete approx. 12,000㎥, cement approx. 2,160t, H-beam supports approx. 530t, reinforcing bars approx. 130t

This project adopts a “flex-period” system, allowing the contractor to arbitrarily set the start and end dates of construction within the overall project period, and includes a pre-float period. During the pre-float period, actual on-site construction preparations—such as the delivery of materials to the site or the installation of temporary structures—cannot be performed; however, office work such as arranging materials and equipment, contracting with subcontractors, and meetings with the client is permitted, and the assignment of managing engineers is not required.

Pilot Project Incorporating Wage Increases and Labor Hour Fact-Finding Surveys

This project is a “Labor-Saving Construction Pilot Project (Tunnel)” implemented to establish technical standards for the utilization of automated construction technologies through the trial of automated construction techniques aimed at reducing manpower in mountain tunnel construction. Regarding the bidding method, this is a pilot project for the “Technical Proposal Evaluation Type SI,” a construction system confirmation-type comprehensive evaluation bidding method that requires technical improvement proposals allowing for minor changes to design documents, in addition to the usual technical proposals of the Technical Proposal Evaluation Type S.

• Additional points in the comprehensive evaluation for companies implementing wage increases.
• A pilot project (contractor-requested method) to survey the actual status of wages, working hours, and labor costs regarding wage payments to subcontractors and the securing of appropriate working hours.
• Positioned as a target project for pilots, etc., as shown in Appended Table 1.

Participation Opportunities via Mixed Bidding and Qualification Requirements for Joint Ventures

This project utilizes the so-called “Mixed Bidding” method, allowing both those certified as a Specified Construction Joint Venture (Specified JV) and those certified for general competitive bidding (single companies) to participate in the competition. On the same date, the Director-General of the Chubu Regional Development Bureau issued a public notice regarding the qualifications of competitive participants as a Specified Construction Joint Venture for this project, specifying the following requirements:

• The membership shall consist of a combination of two companies; ordinary construction joint ventures are not recognized as members.
• A Management Matters Evaluation (Common) score of 1,200 points or more for general civil engineering works at the Chubu Regional Development Bureau.
• All members must contribute an investment of 6/10 or more of an equal distribution.
• The representative must possess the greatest construction capacity among the members and have the highest investment ratio among the members.
• A track record of completing the handover of tunnel construction using the NATM method with an internal cross-sectional area of 80㎡ or more and a construction length of 500m or more as a prime contractor since FY2011.
• At least 5 years of business operation with the required license.
• The name of the joint venture shall be “FY2026 Kumano Road Kumano No. 4 Tunnel Construction [Company Name] · [Company Name] Specified Construction Joint Venture.”

Procedural Schedule from Application Form Acquisition to Final Deadline

• Acquisition of Application Forms: Issued via the electronic bidding system from September 29, 2026, to November 19, 2026.
• Application Period: From September 30, 2026, to October 13, 2026 (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays).
• Final Deadline: November 19, 2026 (applications will be accepted as needed after October 14 in unavoidable circumstances).
• Application Method: Via email, mail (limited to registered mail), or courier. Seals are not required; applications via the electronic bidding system are not permitted.
• Contact Point: Chubu Regional Development Bureau, General Affairs Department, Contract Division, Investigation Section (Nagoya Joint Government Building No. 2, 2-5-1 Sannomaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya City; Tel: 052-953-8138; cbr-shikaku@mlit.go.jp)

This project involves the tunnel development of the Kumano Road passing through Kumano City, Mie Prefecture, and is being tendered in combination with the demonstration of a technical policy for labor-saving construction. This provides construction companies with an opportunity to build a track record in automated construction technology. The mixed bidding process, open to both specific JVs and individual companies, leaves room for participation by mid-sized companies with regional construction capabilities.

Source: Chubu Regional Development Bureau “Bid Announcement (Construction Work) No. 1” (Extra Government Procurement No. 179, September 29, 2026) / Chubu Regional Development Bureau “Public Notice Regarding Qualifications of Competitive Participants” (dated September 29, 2026, by the Director-General of the Chubu Regional Development Bureau) / Government Procurement Announcement Edition (Published by the Cabinet Office)