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Respondents to the RFQ also have to demonstrate an ability to operate and maintain the bridge over 30 years, as well as put up $750 million as their share of project financing during the construction phase.

And to underscore the tightness of the time frame, consider that the government itself missed the deadline for delivering the business plan for the project by 18 months, promising it would be released in the spring of 2014, not actually publishing it until the end of last year.

Nor does the time squeeze end with submissions. The documentation released Tuesday indicates that the government intends to winnow the qualified bidders down to three within another six weeks or so, then begin the detailed back and forth on technical, financial and other considerations on the 30-year concession agreement.

The list will be winnowed to a preferred bidder in the spring of 2017, with the two dropped bidders being in line for $2 million in compensation for their troubles. Target deal for signing off on the deal is summer 2017.

The latter date appears contrary to the political timetable set down by Premier Christy Clark when she announced the replacement plan for the tunnel following the last election.

Her stated intention was to have construction underway before British Columbians went back to the polls in May 2017, a goal the Liberals have restated more than once.

“Construction will begin on schedule in early 2017,” Transportation Minister Todd Stone told reporters (twice) at last December’s release of the project business plan.