The Government of the Northwest Territories has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the construction of the Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road (TASR). Following a Request for Qualifications, three consortia are being invited to submit proposals:  Aurora Access Partners, NAE Transportation Partners and North Star Infrastructure.

Technical submissions for the RFP are due on August 9, 2018, and financial submissions are due on August 29, 2018. It is anticipated that the contract will be a 29 year contract, with four years of construction and 25 years of operations.

The TASR project is currently undergoing an environmental assessment by the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board.  This regulatory process will ensure the project is undertaken in an environmentally, socially, and culturally sound manner. 

The RFP is being released at this time in alignment with the environmental regulatory schedule and to provide the time required for the three proponents to prepare the RFP documents. 

The TASR will connect Highway 3 to the community of Whatì, a First Nations community in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories. The road will provide year-round access to Whatì and also increase the window of access to the communities of Gamètì and Wekweètì. 

With more reliable access, it is expected that the essential goods and materials on which residents rely can be transported to these communities at less expensive rates. This will translate into savings for consumers and a lower cost of living in the region. The all-season road will also provide access to new areas of undeveloped mineral resources, opening the door for industry to unlock the region’s full economic potential to the benefit of all Northerners and Canadians.