Local transit officials announced Tuesday they have awarded a $46.1 million contract to the consulting firm CH2M Hill Inc. to help oversee the next phase of Honolulu’s rail project.

The contract will cover "oversight support" for the $5.26 billion project’s design-review, scheduling, cost-estimating and other engineering-related tasks, according to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation.

It will replace a previous $150 million general engineering consultant contract with transportation firm Parsons Brinckerhoff that ends next year, according to HART.

Englewood, Colo.-based CH2M Hill is a global consulting firm with 28,000 employees. The company’s Honolulu office on Bishop Street has 50 employees, according to HART.