Alina Oprea • 9 February, 2023 at 9:32 AM
The Railway Reform Authority (ARF) has published in the SEAP public procurement platform a market consultation notice to obtain the additional elements necessary to update the award documentation for the purchase of 12 long-haul hydrogen electric frames (RE-H) intended for transport passenger rail and a quote for their maintenance, including a quote for hydrogen fueling services, necessary for their operation. The investment can reach over RON 4 billion with financing from the PNRR. The tender launched in October 2022 for 12 hydrogen frames was canceled on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, because no manufacturer submitted a bid.
The value of the purchase is between RON 2,487,210,561, excluding VAT, and RON 4,249,858,243, excluding VAT, depending on the duration of the services related to the contract - 15 and 30 years, respectively.
This investment objective is financed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
Through the market consultation action, it is desired to obtain the following information: the delivery term for the first train, respectively the delivery term for the entire quantity, from the signing of the contract; accessibility conditions for people with reduced mobility; elements regarding the location of the maintenance depot(s) and the hydrogen fueling station(s).
The market consultation procedure will take place online, and interested economic operators can send the justified answers/proposals, as well as any recommendations, opinions and suggestions to the email address: office@arf.gov.ro, until February 20th, 2023.
The consultation will end on February 22nd, 2023.
After the consultation process, ARF will relaunch the procedure for the purchase of hydrogen electric frames, in accordance with the legal provisions in force.
The procedure regarding the purchase of 12 electric frames based on hydrogen fuel cells (RE-H), financed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), was automatically canceled in the public procurement system, SICAP, under the conditions that no offer was submitted, as ARF announced on February 7.
"The ARF team will, in advance, carry out a series of market consultations through the SICAP electronic auction platform, in order to identify the appropriate solutions to the issues reported by the interested companies in the course of the concluded procedure", the authority announced at the time.
The procedure involves the purchase of 12 electric traction vehicles based on hydrogen fuel cells, as well as the maintenance and repair services necessary for their operation for 15 years, as well as the hydrogen supply services. The procedure also provides for the possibility of supplementing the maintenance period by another 15 years, through an additional act.
These motor vehicles will be used for the routes under public service contracts, on the non-electrified lines (Bucharest - Pitesti with extension to Slatina and Craiova, Bucharest - Henri Coanda Airport, Bucharest - Targoviste, Pitesti - Curtea de Argeş), assigned to operators of rail transport, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 1370/2007/CE as amended and according to Romanian legislation.