Three of six bidding teams that submitted first-round bids early this month for a renewed international tender offering 66 percent of DESFA, Greece’s natural gas grid operator, are expected to advance to the next round, as they satisfy the procedure’s main criteria, these being experience and European gas operator certification.

A decision shortlisting first-round bidders is scheduled to be made this coming Monday, when TAIPED, the state privatization fund, plans to stage its next board meeting.

The other three bidding teams face grim chances of advancing to the tender’s next round as questions have been raised as to whether they satisfy the tender’s terms.

A bidding team comprised of Italy’s Snam, Spain’s Enagas, Belgium’s Fluxys and Dutch operator Gasunie, currently rates as a favorite.

Snam, Enagas and Fluxys all hold stakes in the TAP consortium developing the TAP gas pipeline, to run across northern Greece, through Albania and the Adriatic Sea to Italy.

France’s GRTgaz and Romania’s Transgas, which joined forces as one of the other bidding teams, are seen as the main challenger.

The tender’s other bidders are: Australia’s Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (Europe) Limited; Spain’s Regasificadora del Noroeste; Canada’s Integrated Utility Services Inc; and Qatar’s Powerglobe LLC.