Qatar Rail showcases architectural finishes for the Doha Metro stations works

Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail), the company overseeing the construction of Qatar’s integrated railway network, showcased architectural opportunities for local suppliers to become involved with the Doha Metro station works during an awareness day recently held at Doha’s La Cigale Hotel.

Bringing together 180 current and potential partners and suppliers, the daylong conference, titled “Doha Metro Architectural Finishes”, featured discussions and presentations by Qatar Rail’s procurement and architecture departments.  

Serving as an idea and knowledge exchange platform across a spectrum of Qatar Rail’s Doha Metro partners and suppliers of architectural finishes, the awareness day took the audience through an exhaustive overview of the company’s procurement strategy and process. Kaldoon Truman, Senior Director of Contracts and Procurement at Qatar Rail, detailed manufacturer selection and approval mechanisms, contract management terms and conditions, architectural finishes tender course of action and timelines, and general projects timescales. 

Mohamed Timbely, Senior Director of Architecture and MEP at Qatar Rail, followed Truman with a presentation on materials and finishes and element technical specifications and requirements for the Doha Metro’s 37 stations; Qatar Rail’s architectural branding guidelines; the selection of materials for the stations mock ups; the materials acceptance criteria; and the status and opportunities pertaining to materials and FF&E (Furniture, fixtures, and equipment).

Through an interactive Q&A session, the conference also opened the floor for supplier queries on procurement and manufacturer approval processes. 

“At Qatar Rail, it is really important that we build long term relationships with local suppliers to ensure that they have the opportunity to become part of this exciting project that comes in alignment with Qatar’s National Vision 2030. Events of this sort give local companies a great chance to become aware of the tenders and contracts which we will be issuing in both the short and long terms and they attract a very good attendance. Companies which were not able to attend can still find out more by visiting our website and looking in our procurement section. They can also get in touch and give us their details to ensure that they do not miss out on future events”, said Timbely. 

Derived from the historic Islamic architecture, the “Vaulted Spaces” Metro station design was uniquely selected by the Emir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in 2013. 

The first phase for the Doha Metro’s architectural works, covering 37 stations, is set for completion by 2018 while the second, extending to over 72 stations, by 2030.