At the auction, bids for the purchase of 16 new electric locomotives, worth from 702 million to one billion lei, were opened. Only one company signed up: Alstom. In recent years, Romania has not been able to purchase new locomotives, so the average age of the active fleet is over 45 years.

What the Railway Reform Authority says

The Railway Reform Authority (ARF) reports that on April 3, 2023, a meeting of the Evaluation Commission appointed as part of the tender for the purchase of 16 new 4-axle electric locomotives with ERTMS systems was held to open the submitted proposals.

Thus, the company that submitted the documentation is the Association SC ALSTOM TRANSPORT SA Romania (Lead participant) – ALSTOM TRANSPORTATION GERMANY (Participant).

The estimated value ranges from 702,453,762.18 lei without VAT to 1,036,568,887.80 lei without VAT.

Funding for the project is provided through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, “Component 4 – Sustainable Transport” and from the state budget, through the budget of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, within the amounts approved annually for this purpose. , in accordance with state investment programs approved by law.

The duration of the contract for the designated lot will be 275 months.

After opening the proposal, the commission will begin its evaluation in accordance with the current legislation and the requirements of the technical terms of reference.

We remind you that the procurement procedure for 16 new 4-axle electric locomotives with ERTMS systems, capable of developing a maximum speed of 160 km/h to 200 km/h and towing up to 16 passenger cars, has been completed. was launched on October 10, 2022 as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) – Component 4. Sustainable Transport, and had the effect of both increasing mobility around the main socio-economic centers of the country and achieving some rapid connections between important administrative-territorial units of the country.

We clarify that the term of maintenance and repair is 20 years, which includes the services necessary for the operation of the relevant electric locomotives, namely: personnel training on operation, operation and software, transportation, insurance, commissioning, technical assistance during the warranty period, according to the technical task.

Thus, the purchase agreement has a review clause, i.e. the possibility of extending the service term by another 20 years, without conducting a competitive procedure, by concluding an additional act.

The purchased locomotives will be used on the routes under public contracts for the provision of services (CSP) awarded in a tender to railway passenger transport operators, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No. 1370/2007 and in accordance with Romanian legislation.