20.12.2023
Design documentation for the bridge crossing and transport interchanges was developed by the Stroyproekt Institute in 2015 at the request of the grantor (Ministry of Transport and Road Facilities of the Novosibirsk Region) and was transferred to the concessionaire (Siberian Concession Company, part of VIS Group) based on the results of the tender held by the Government of the Novosibirsk Region to select a concessionaire for the project in 2016.
Due to the protracted procedures for transferring land plots to the concessionaire, the construction of transport infrastructure actually began in the spring of 2020. During the time that has elapsed since the approval of the project documentation, some of the technical solutions and materials specified in it have lost their relevance. Some manufacturers of materials and equipment left the Russian market or became unavailable due to restrictions caused by sanctions against Russia. During construction, a number of inaccuracies and inconsistencies with the real situation “on the ground” were identified in the project. This required appropriate changes to the design documentation and updates to the working documentation.
All changes made to the materials and technologies used are agreed upon by VIS Group with the general designer – AO Stroyproekt Institute, which carries out design supervision. If necessary, in accordance with the requirements of the Town Planning Code of the Russian Federation, a positive conclusion is obtained from the state expert commission, which provides expert support for the project under an agreement with the concessionaire. Some of the changes that affect the design must be approved through the procedure of submitting for consideration to the state examination. In accordance with the Town Planning Code, while other changes, which are unrelated to facility design, do not require expert confirmation. These changes also include the use of analogue materials, if provided for in the design documentation.
Coordination of changes is carried out on an ongoing basis while construction continues, while work until the receipt of the relevant expert opinions is carried out based on author's sheets issued by the general designer. Thanks to this algorithm, the construction of bridge infrastructure did not stop even during the most turbulent times, such as 2020-2022. If the work had to be stopped until the corresponding conclusion of the state examination was received for each of the changes, the completion of the construction of the bridge and other infrastructure provided for in the concession agreement would be postponed for an unpredictable period.
The position of FAU Glavgosexpertiza in regard to the adjustment of the estimate documentation is indicated in the response to the official request. It states that such an adjustment should be carried out after making all changes to the technical portion of the project documentation and receiving relevant positive conclusions based on the results of conformity assessment within the framework of expert support. To date, 30 volumes of design documentation have been submitted to the state expert commission and received a positive conclusion, another 20 volumes are under consideration, and 108 are being prepared for submission. This is a large-scale and labor-intensive work that is carried out simultaneously with project implementation. The average period for reviewing documents by the state expert commission is 20 working days.
Despite the absence of such a requirement in the concession agreement, VIS Group invited the grantor to confirm the cost of the project after completion of construction and undergo a final state review of the estimated cost of construction, taking into account all the changes made. This will allow us not to slow down the pace of construction at this stage and resolve all controversial issues before commissioning the facility. According to current legislation, if the final estimated capital costs are lower than those provided for by the project, the amount of the capital grant (budget financing) will be proportionally reduced by the difference that has arisen. If the capital costs increase, they will not be compensated and qualify as the concessionaire’s risks.
Delaying the construction period is not in VIS Group’s interests, since in this case there is a risk of additional costs, which, under the terms of the concession agreement, will not be compensated to the concessionaire. We are interested in completing the construction of the facility with the specified technical and economic indicators and commissioning it as quickly as possible. This will relieve the city of all the inconveniences associated with construction and improve the road situation in accordance with the forecasts of the project designers and initiators. However, it is impossible today to keep investing only proprietary funds in the project and wait for the final conclusion of the estimated cost from the state expert commission. To date, VIS Group has fulfilled its financial obligations for capital expenditures in full, having financed them in the amount of 5.4 billion rubles. Another 2 billion rubles were used to finance operating activities, including rental, insurance and other payments.
Intensive consultations are currently underway between the grantor and the concessionaire to resolve all controversial issues and find mutually acceptable solutions that will allow work to continue to the required extent to complete construction in Q4 2024. We hope that these solutions can be found in the near future in the interests of the common cause and all residents of Novosibirsk.
All changes made to the working documentation of the bridge crossing project over the Ob River in Novosibirsk undergo the required approval procedures
Due to the protracted procedures for transferring land plots to the concessionaire, the construction of transport infrastructure actually began in the spring of 2020. During the time that has elapsed since the approval of the project documentation, some of the technical solutions and materials specified in it have lost their relevance. Some manufacturers of materials and equipment left the Russian market or became unavailable due to restrictions caused by sanctions against Russia. During construction, a number of inaccuracies and inconsistencies with the real situation “on the ground” were identified in the project. This required appropriate changes to the design documentation and updates to the working documentation.
All changes made to the materials and technologies used are agreed upon by VIS Group with the general designer – AO Stroyproekt Institute, which carries out design supervision. If necessary, in accordance with the requirements of the Town Planning Code of the Russian Federation, a positive conclusion is obtained from the state expert commission, which provides expert support for the project under an agreement with the concessionaire. Some of the changes that affect the design must be approved through the procedure of submitting for consideration to the state examination. In accordance with the Town Planning Code, while other changes, which are unrelated to facility design, do not require expert confirmation. These changes also include the use of analogue materials, if provided for in the design documentation.
Coordination of changes is carried out on an ongoing basis while construction continues, while work until the receipt of the relevant expert opinions is carried out based on author's sheets issued by the general designer. Thanks to this algorithm, the construction of bridge infrastructure did not stop even during the most turbulent times, such as 2020-2022. If the work had to be stopped until the corresponding conclusion of the state examination was received for each of the changes, the completion of the construction of the bridge and other infrastructure provided for in the concession agreement would be postponed for an unpredictable period.
The position of FAU Glavgosexpertiza in regard to the adjustment of the estimate documentation is indicated in the response to the official request. It states that such an adjustment should be carried out after making all changes to the technical portion of the project documentation and receiving relevant positive conclusions based on the results of conformity assessment within the framework of expert support. To date, 30 volumes of design documentation have been submitted to the state expert commission and received a positive conclusion, another 20 volumes are under consideration, and 108 are being prepared for submission. This is a large-scale and labor-intensive work that is carried out simultaneously with project implementation. The average period for reviewing documents by the state expert commission is 20 working days.
Despite the absence of such a requirement in the concession agreement, VIS Group invited the grantor to confirm the cost of the project after completion of construction and undergo a final state review of the estimated cost of construction, taking into account all the changes made. This will allow us not to slow down the pace of construction at this stage and resolve all controversial issues before commissioning the facility. According to current legislation, if the final estimated capital costs are lower than those provided for by the project, the amount of the capital grant (budget financing) will be proportionally reduced by the difference that has arisen. If the capital costs increase, they will not be compensated and qualify as the concessionaire’s risks.
Delaying the construction period is not in VIS Group’s interests, since in this case there is a risk of additional costs, which, under the terms of the concession agreement, will not be compensated to the concessionaire. We are interested in completing the construction of the facility with the specified technical and economic indicators and commissioning it as quickly as possible. This will relieve the city of all the inconveniences associated with construction and improve the road situation in accordance with the forecasts of the project designers and initiators. However, it is impossible today to keep investing only proprietary funds in the project and wait for the final conclusion of the estimated cost from the state expert commission. To date, VIS Group has fulfilled its financial obligations for capital expenditures in full, having financed them in the amount of 5.4 billion rubles. Another 2 billion rubles were used to finance operating activities, including rental, insurance and other payments.
Intensive consultations are currently underway between the grantor and the concessionaire to resolve all controversial issues and find mutually acceptable solutions that will allow work to continue to the required extent to complete construction in Q4 2024. We hope that these solutions can be found in the near future in the interests of the common cause and all residents of Novosibirsk.