Chinese company keeps lead in race for EUR 1 bln train procurement contract in RO

Romania’s Railway Reform Authority (ARF) confirmed as valid the winning offer submitted by the Chinese producer Qingdao Sifang in partnership with local producer Astra Vagoane Călaturi in the tender for the purchase of 40 to 80 new trains, Economica.net reported.

The contract’s value is up to EUR 1 billion without VAT, including maintenance services.

Furthermore, after analyzing the additional documents submitted by the Chinese company, ARF argued that it is clear that the bidder has the capacity to deliver the first train within 18 months after the signing the contract, as they have promised.

Dissatisfied with the outcome of the tender, the European producers Alstom and Siemens filed appeals. Alstom claimed the Chinese company could not deliver the trains within the promised deadline.

Siemens accused the Chinese of dumping prices and receiving state aid from the Chinese government. On November 18, the National Council for Settlement of Appeals (CNSC) partly admitted the appeals and requested remedial measures.

Surprisingly, all three bidders have challenged CNSC’s decision to the Bucharest Court of Appeal. Because the selection procedure is no longer suspended (only CNSC can do this), ARF announced that it asked the Chinese group for additional documents and a realistic timetable for train delivery, as provisioned in the CNSC decision. ARF also asked all three participants to provide details about their trains’ energy consumption on alternative routes.

(Photo: Pixabay)