The scheme involves building a 4km bypass and associated junctions to the east of Dalry and will connect with the existing A737 trunk road.
Transport for Scotland has shortlisted four teams to bid for the A737 Dalry Bypass, including Portuguese contractor Somague Engenharia.
The scheme involves building a 4km bypass and associated junctions to the east of Dalry and will connect with the existing A737 trunk road.
The shortlisted bidders includes Balfour Beatty; a Farrans Construction and Roadbridge joint venture; Interserve Construction; and John Paul Construction in joint venture with Portuguese contractor Somague Engenharia, which operates out of a Dublin office.
The contract for the Dalry Bypass project is estimated to be worth up to £38m and involves the construction of the new bypass and associated junctions to connect to the existing A737 Trunk Road.
Humza Yousaf, Minister for Transport and the Islands, said: “This announcement marks another significant milestone for the Dalry Bypass. It ensures we remain on schedule to appoint a contractor early next year and for works to start on this critical infrastructure project by the end of March 2017.
“The new road will be a key driver in improving economic and employment opportunities in the area by providing better journey time reliability and enhancing connectivity. It will also improve safety by taking traffic away from unsuitable roads.”