NEXCO East Japan to bid Mukawa First Bridge steel superstructure

East Nippon Expressway Company Limited (NEXCO East) Hokkaido Branch has opened a general competitive bid for the Main Line Mukawa First Bridge (steel superstructure) construction project on the Dotō Expressway. The announcement was published as a “Bid Announcement (Construction Work)” in the Official Gazette (Extra Edition Government Procurement) dated October 26, 2026. The deadline for the submission of bid proposals is 4:00 PM on April 13, 2027, with the bid opening scheduled for 1:30 PM the following day, April 14. Given the work type of steel superstructure and the preparation period of approximately six months, this project represents a direct procurement opportunity for contractors in the steel bridge sector.

The contracting officer listed in the announcement is the Hokkaido Branch Manager, Toru Miyairi, with procurement agency number 417, location number 01, and item classification number 41. In the body of the announcement, the construction location, scope of work, estimated quantities, construction period, and primary materials and equipment to be used are stated as “as described in the special specifications, unpriced design documents, or design drawings,” and the estimated price and quantities are not shown on the pages of the Official Gazette. Details will be provided in the bid announcement (explanatory notes) and special specifications.

Schedule from Qualification Verification to Bid Opening and Submission Method

The procedure from the verification of competitive participation qualifications to the submission of bid proposals and the bid opening is divided into two stages.

• Submission period for qualification verification applications, etc.: From Monday, October 26, 2026, to Thursday, November 26, 2026, 4:00 PM
• Delivery period for contract documents: Same period. Delivery method is via posting on the NEXCO East website
• Submission period for bid proposals: Until Tuesday, April 13, 2027, 4:00 PM
• Bid opening date and time: Wednesday, April 14, 2027, 1:30 PM
• Bid opening location: NEXCO East Hokkaido Branch, Bid Room
• Submission method: Electronic bidding system or mail

Competitive Participation Qualifications and Construction Experience Restrictions

Participation qualifications are predicated on the applicant not falling under the provisions of Article 6 of the Detailed Implementation Rules of the Contract Regulations of East Nippon Expressway Company Limited. Additionally, it is required that as of the review reference date, the applicant has not filed a petition for the commencement of rehabilitation proceedings under the Corporate Reorganization Act or a petition for the commencement of reorganization proceedings under the Civil Rehabilitation Act (except in cases where recertification has been obtained).

• Must not have been subject to suspension of eligibility to participate in competitive bidding in Region 1 (the area under the jurisdiction of the Hokkaido Branch Office) during the period from the screening criteria date to the date the successful bidder is determined.
• Construction projects found to have violated the Antimonopoly Act in a final judgment, a surcharge payment order, or a cease-and-desist order from the Japan Fair Trade Commission shall not be recognized as the company’s construction track record.
• For projects commissioned by East Nippon Expressway Company Limited or the former Japan Highway Public Corporation, projects with a total evaluation score of less than 65 points shall not be recognized as construction track records.
• For projects commissioned by expressway companies other than those mentioned above, the national government, or local governments, projects with a total evaluation score below a certain point threshold that are not recognized as construction track records in the competitive bidding of the respective procuring entity shall not be recognized.

Contract Terms and Contact Information

The contract terms are explicitly stated in the public notice. Both bid bonds and contract bonds are required; negotiations during the procedure are marked as “Yes,” and the preparation of a written contract is marked as “Required.” The language and currency to be used in the contract procedures are limited to Japanese and Japanese currency. The method for determining the successful bidder is as described in the bid notice (explanatory document), and whether there are plans to conclude other contracts directly related to this project via discretionary contracts is also specified in the same document.

• Department in Charge: Procurement and Contract Division, Engineering Department, Hokkaido Branch Office, East Nippon Expressway Company Limited
• Person in Charge: Chihiro Okubo (Deputy Manager, Procurement and Contract Division)
• Address: 5-12-30 Oyachi-nishi, Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo, 004-8512
• Phone: 011-896-5777

Steel superstructure is a type of work that requires specialized engineers and fabrication plant systems at each stage of design, fabrication, and erection. A preparation period of approximately five and a half months from the application for eligibility verification to the submission of bids, and approximately six months until the opening of bids, has been provided. For steel bridge contractors responsible for bridge maintenance on the Doto Expressway, this notice has a significant impact in terms of both building a track record and expanding order intake.

Source: Official Gazette (Extra Government Procurement) dated October 26, 2026, East Nippon Expressway Company Limited Hokkaido Branch Office “Bid Notice (Construction Work),” Procuring Entity Number 417, Location Number 01 (https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20261026/20261026c00197/pdf/20261026c001970038.pdf).