Bahrain will award a contract for the operation of its public bus transport system at the end of May after shortlisting two local groups, the Gulf country’s transport minister was quoted on Monday as saying.

Kamal Ahmed said Bahraini firms are vying for the 10-year operation project which also involves expansion of the system.

“The contract will be awarded towards the end of this month,” he told the Arabic language daily Alwasat, which said he declined to give further details.

The paper said two local consortiums led by Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo and Ahmed Mansoor Al A’ali Group are competing for the deal after the withdrawal of a third consortium led by Bahrain’s Nass Group.

It said the transport ministry invited bids for the project in late 2013 after the expiry of the existing contract of a joint Emirati-Bahraini venture including the UAE’s CARS company and the local Abdullah bin Hindi company.

The paper quoted the minister as saying there is a plan to expand the coverage of the present public transport system and to increase the operating buses to 128 from 35 and bus stands to 871 from 580.